Both nuclear and cytoplasmic beta-catenin expressions were demonstrated in 4 of the 27 ovarian carcinomas for which tissue samples were available for examination.
Of 37 families containing more than two ovarian cancer cases and at least one breast cancer case with diagnosis at less than 60 years of age, 30 (81%) had a BRCA1/2 mutation.
Four additional missense variants (one in BRCA1 and three in BRCA2) with a possible association with an increased risk ovarian cancer were revealed, resulting in a total frequency of BRCA gene alterations of 17/161 (11%).
Our data support a tumour suppressor mechanism for BRCA1; somatic mutations and LOH may result in inactivation of BRCA1 in at least a small number of ovarian cancers.
BRCA1 abnormalities were identified in all four families with ovarian cancer only, in 67% of 27 families with both breast and ovarian cancer, and in 34% of 35 families with breast cancer only.
Trastuzumab (Herceptin) targets the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), which is overexpressed in 20-30% of breast and ovarian cancers carrying a bad prognosis.
Eight of 10 RCC cell lines expressed significant levels of HER-2/neu mRNA and protein, but at a lower level compared with HER-2/neu overexpressing ovarian carcinoma cells.