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Hallmarks of 'BRCAness' in sporadic cancers

Nature Reviews Cancer volume 4, pages 814–819 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

Germline mutations in the BRCA1, BRCA2 and Fanconi anaemia genes confer cancer susceptibility, and the proteins encoded by these genes have distinct functions in related DNA-repair processes. Emerging evidence indicates that these processes are disrupted by numerous mechanisms in sporadic cancers. Collectively, there are properties that define 'BRCAness' — that is, traits that some sporadic cancers share with those occurring in either BRCA1- or BRCA2-mutation carriers. These common properties might have important implications for the clinical management of these cancers.

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Figure 1: The BRCA/Fanconi anaemia DNA-repair pathways.
Figure 2: Hallmarks of BRCAness.
Figure 3: Exploiting the DNA-repair defect of BRCAness phenotypes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre, Institute of Cancer Research, Fulham Road, London, SW3 6JB, UK

    Nicholas Turner, Andrew Tutt & Alan Ashworth

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  1. Nicholas Turner
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  2. Andrew Tutt
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  3. Alan Ashworth
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Correspondence to Alan Ashworth.

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Related links

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DATABASES

Cancer.gov

breast cancer

ovarian cancer

Entrez Gene

AURORA2

BRCA1

BRCA2

CK14

CK17

CK5/6

c-MYC

EGFR

EMSY

ERBB2

FANCC

FANCD2

FANCF

RAD51

TP53

OMIM

Fanconi anaemia

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Turner, N., Tutt, A. & Ashworth, A. Hallmarks of 'BRCAness' in sporadic cancers. Nat Rev Cancer 4, 814–819 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrc1457

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