Increased Risk of Women's Breast Cancer Associated With Race/Ethnicity When Having the Breast Cancer Gene Mutation: An Integrated Literature Review

Abstract

Background: For women in the United States, about 5-10% of breast cancers can be linked to gene mutations (abnormal changes) inherited from one’s mother or father. Mutations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are the most common. Information on the prevalence of pathogenic BRCA1 mutation carriers in racial/ethnic minority populations is limited.

Objectives: This study is an integrative literature review aimed to examine the increased risk of women’s breast cancer associated with race/ethnicity and breast cancer gene mutation.

Methods: Online databases such as CINAHL, ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health Source, Wiley Online Library, and PubMed were searched using the keywords breast cancer gene mutation, race and ethnicity, and women for this integrative literature review.

Results: Many of the studies used to estimate the prevalence of BRCA gene mutations consistently revealed that African American women were among the highest of mutation carriers (13-15% in bigger population sizes) and Asian American women were the lowest (0.5% of population size). The higher carrier prevalence in Hispanics may reflect the presence of unrecognized Jewish ancestry in this population.

Conclusion: These findings highlight the need for further research on the patterns of physician recommendation for genetic counseling among minority groups. This information could enable mutation testing in clinical settings and encourage preventive intervention planning.

Key words: breast cancer gene mutation, race and ethnicity, women