Do BRCA Mutations Influence Ovarian Cancer Outcomes?

Sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy and overall survival were better among patients with BRCA2 mutations than among those with BRCA1 mutations or wild-type BRCA.

Women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations have excess risk for ovarian cancer. But whether these mutations affect outcomes after ovarian cancer develops is unclear. To address this issue, investigators compared the prognosis and response to chemotherapy between ovarian cancer patients with or without BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations.

Of 316 patients in the Cancer Genome Atlas with high-grade serous ovarian cancer, 66 had germline or somatic BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations. Because outcomes were similar in those with germline or somatic mutations, these patients were pooled for the analysis.

At 5 years, the overall survival (OS) rate was significantly higher among BRCA2 carriers versus wild-type BRCA patients (61% vs. 25%; hazard ratio, 0.33; 95% confidence interv…

Reviewing Author

Virginia Kaklamani, MD, DSc