The
capacity of the body to self-repair
damage to its DNA may be a major factor between whether two people with similar biologiocal and personal histories have an equal chance or not of
developing breast cancer.
Like many cancers, the development of breast cancer results from complex interactions of genes and environmental exposures. Individuals differ in both their unique genetic makeup and the
exposures that they encounter throughout their lifetimes. Damage to DNA is known to be a critical early step in the development of cancer, since unrepaired damage can lead to the cellular mutations that result in cancer cells developing. Therefore, differences in personal DNA
repair capacity may influence the
risk of developing cancer.
Researchers at Columbia University evaluated the DNA repair-capacity in pairs of sisters of which one was a breast cancer sufferer and one was free of cancer. The cell cultures from 158 breast cancer patients and 154 'control' sisters were treated with a DNA damaging agent followed by a DNA repair process to determine the extent of each subject's damage and repair capacities.
The DNA repair-capacity of breast cancer patients proved to be statistically lower than that of their sisters without breast cancer -- a two-fold increase in the risk for developing breast cancer. This supports the theory that deficits in DNA repair capacity are associated with higher susceptibility of breast cancer development. The finding may become a valuable marker to identify women who are at high risk for the disease, especially among families with high incidence of breast cancer.
Further research is necessary to determine if therapeutic interventions could improve DNA repair capacity. Until further research resolves this, to reduce their risk, women with a deficient DNA repair-capacity should avoid the environmental exposures that lead to DNA damage, including excess sun exposure, smoking, and exposure to chemical agents.
More abstracts about the DNA Repair Capacity of Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines From Sisters Discordant for Breast Cancer