[Morphologically qnd immunohistochemically based screening criteria for selection of patients with possible mutation of BRCA1 gene in primary ovarian cancer].

UNLABELLED: SUMMARY AND AIM: Breast cancer (BC) and Ovarian cancer (OC) are some of the most common cancers affecting women. Environmental factors and genetic alterations are involved in the etiology of both cancers. The main susceptibility genes that predisposed to BC and OC are BRCA1 (BReast CAncer 1) and BRCA 2 (BReast CAncer 2). Those of BC and OC which are due to germline mutation in BRCA 1/2 are defined as hereditary. Because of the expensiveness of genetic testing for mutations in BRCA1 we aimed to select patients with ovarian cancer suitable for genetic testing, on the base of certain morphological and immunohistochemical criteria. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We have conducted a retrospective analysis of 29 cases with serous papillary OC, taken from the archives of the Department of Clinical Pathology, University Hospital "Dr. G. Stranski" Pleven. We performed morphological assessment and subsequent immunohistochemical study with antibodies against p53, anti BRCA1 and anti proliferative marker Ki-67. RESULTS: Nineteen (65.52%) of all 29 cases were found with loss of immunohistochemical expression of BRCA1 and we defined them as suitable for genetic testing of BRCA1 mutations. CONCLUSION: A set of morphological and immunohistochemical criteria allows screening of women that should be referred for genetic testing, as it is expensive, and the incidence of BRCA1 mutations in the general population is very low.