BRCA1 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: A Double-Edged Sword for Prognosis and Precision Therapy

Document Type : Original Article

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Oncologic Pathology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.

Abstract

Background:Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype lacking estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and HER2 expression. The BRCA1 gene encodes a tumor suppressor protein critical for homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair, playing a key role in TNBC progression and treatment response. Aim: To assess BRCA1 protein expression in TNBC and evaluate its impact on survival status. Material & methods:This study retrospectively analyzed 80 TNBC cases to assess BRCA1 protein expression through immunohistochemistry and its correlation with clinicopathologic features, recurrence patterns, and survival outcomes. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression were used for statistical evaluation. Results: Findings revealed that low BRCA1 expression was significantly associated with high tumor grade, lymphovascular invasion, and poor disease-free and overall survival. Conversely, high BRCA1 expression correlated with early-stage disease, smaller tumor sizes, and improved survival outcomes. Conclusion:These results highlight the impact of low BRCA1 expression on TNBC aggressiveness and its potential role as a prognostic biomarker. Further research integrating multi-omics approaches may improve personalized treatment strategies for management of BRCA1-associated TNBC.

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Egyptian Journal of Cancer and Biomedical Research
Volume 9, Issue 3
September 2025
Pages 9-17

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