HEREDITARY CANCER RISK FACTORS AND OUTCOME IN BREAST CANCER PATIENTS ON HIGH

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The purpose of this research study is to investigate factors that may contribute to the development of specific cancers in cancer patients and/or their relatives. One of the major areas of progress in understanding cancer development has been in genetics. Laboratory research has shown that in some people cancer occurs, at least in part, due to an inherited pattern of genes. Genes are in every cell of the body and contain the hereditary information that determines physical makeup. The hereditary information found in genes often contains small changes or alterations. Sometimes these changes do not cause any problems; other times the changes are more serious and can interfere with how a gene (or genes) usually work. Techniques are now available that allow analysis of genes from blood and stored tissue samples for alterations that may be associated with cancer development. Because of the patient's and/or their relative's cancer diagnosis, this study looks at blood and/or tissue samples from the patient/relative for possible genetic changes that may have made the patient/relative more likely to develop cancer. With their permission, specimens may also be collected from certain other family members, if information from them could help to explain a pattern of cancer in the family. This study also will attempt to understand other possible causes of cancer; particularly those that might interact with inherited factors. Examples would be environmental or dietary exposures. As techniques become available to study these other possible causes of cancer, such causal relationships may be investigated.