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Abstract The majority of hereditary breast and ovarian cancers can be accounted for by germline mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Genetic counselling and testing in high-risk patients in the Czech Republic began in 1997 in two centres (Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute in Brno, MMCI, and the General University Hospital plus the First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, 1FMUK). Health insurance covers testing in MMCI, whereas testing at 1FMUK is covered by research grants. The spectrum of mutations in the BRCA1 gene is similar in the Bohemian (western) and Moravian (eastern) regions of the country but the mutation spectrum observed in the BRCA2 gene is completely different. There are three BRCA1 gene mutations that are responsible for 69% and 70.4% of all BRCA1 mutations identified in women reporting to the Brno and Prague centres, respectively. The two most frequent mutations in the BRCA2 gene, which comprises 41.5% of all detected BRCA2 mutations in Brno, were not found in women tested in the Prague centre. The testing of BRCA1/BRCA2 or other possible predisposition genes for hereditary breast/ovarian cancer is determined by medical geneticists after genetic counselling. Predictive testing is offered to persons older than 18 years of age. Genetic counselling centres are easily accessible to all inhabitants in the country. Specialized preventive care is mostly organized by MMCI and the General University Hospital in Prague; however, some patients and their family members are under the care of other oncology departments and clinics. The quality of preventive care in different hospitals is currently being investigated.

Abstract Background The EPILYMPH study applied a detailed occupational exposure assessment approach to a large multi-centre case–control study conducted in six European countries. This paper analysed multiple myeloma (MM) risk associated with level of education, and lifetime occupational history and occupational exposures, based on the EPILYMPH data set. Methods 277 MM cases and four matched controls per each case were included. Controls were randomly selected, matching for age (+/− 5 years), centre and gender. Lifetime occupations and lifetime exposure to specific workplace agents was obtained through a detailed questionnaire. Local industrial hygienists assessed likelihood and intensity for specific exposures. The odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals (OR, 95% CI) were calculated for level of education, individual occupations and specific exposures. Unconditional logistic regression models were run for individual occupations and exposures. Results A low level of education was associated with MM OR=1.68 (95% CI 1.02-2.76). An increased risk was observed for general farmers (OR=1.77; 95% CI 1.05-2.99) and cleaning workers (OR=1.69; 95% CI 1.04-2.72) adjusting for level of education. Risk was also elevated, although not significant, for printers (OR=2.06; 95% CI 0.97-4.34). Pesticide exposure over a period of ten years or more increased MM risk (OR=1.62; 95% CI 1.01-2.58). Conclusion These results confirm an association of MM with farm work, and indicate its association with printing and cleaning. While prolonged exposure to pesticides seems to be a risk factor for MM, an excess risk associated with exposure to organic solvents could not be confirmed.

Abstract Background The incidence of breast cancer has doubled over the past 20 years in the Czech Republic. Hereditary factors may be a cause of young onset, bilateral breast or ovarian cancer, and familial accumulation of the disease. BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations account for an important fraction of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer cases. One thousand and ten unrelated high-risk probands with breast and/or ovarian cancer were analysed for the presence of a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation at the Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute (Czech Republic) during 1999–2006. Methods The complete coding sequences and splice sites of both genes were screened, and the presence of large intragenic rearrangements in BRCA1 was verified. Putative splice-site variants were analysed at the cDNA level for their potential to alter mRNA splicing. Results In 294 unrelated families (29.1% of the 1,010 probands) pathogenic mutations were identified, with 44 different BRCA1 mutations and 41 different BRCA2 mutations being detected in 204 and 90 unrelated families, respectively. In total, three BRCA1 founder mutations (c.5266dupC; c.3700_3704del5; p.Cys61Gly) and two BRCA2 founder mutations (c.7913_7917del5; c.8537_8538del2) represent 52% of all detected mutations in Czech high-risk probands. Nine putative splice-site variants were evaluated at the cDNA level. Three splice-site variants in BRCA1 (c.302-3C>G; c.4185G>A and c.4675+1G>A) and six splice-site variants in BRCA2 (c.475G>A; c.476-2>G; c.7007G>A; c.8755-1G>A; c.9117+2T>A and c.9118-2A>G) were demonstrated to result in aberrant transcripts and are considered as deleterious mutations. Conclusion This study represents an evaluation of deleterious genetic variants in the BRCA1 and 2 genes in the Czech population. The classification of several splice-site variants as true pathogenic mutations may prove useful for genetic counselling of families with high risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

Abstract Background Alterations in the highly penetrant cancer susceptibility gene BRCA1 are responsible for the majority of hereditary breast and/or ovarian cancers. However, the number of detected germline mutations has been lower than expected based upon genetic linkage data. Undetected deleterious mutations in the BRCA1 gene in some high-risk families could be due to the presence of intragenic rearrangements as deletions, duplications or insertions spanning whole exons. Standard PCR-based screening methods are mainly focused on detecting point mutations and small insertions/deletions, but large rearrangements might escape detection. The purpose of this study was to determine the type and frequency of large genomic rearrangements in the BRCA1 gene in hereditary breast and ovarian cancer cases in the Czech Republic. Methods Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) was used to examine BRCA1 rearrangements in 172 unrelated patients with hereditary breast and/or ovarian cancer syndrome without finding deleterious mutation after complete screening of whole coding regions of BRCA1/2 genes. Positive MLPA results were confirmed and located by long-range PCR. The breakpoints of detected rearrangements were characterized by sequencing. Results Six different large deletions in the BRCA1 gene were identified in 10 out of 172 unrelated high-risk patients: exons 1A/1B and 2 deletion; partial deletion of exon 11 and exon 12; exons 18 and 19 deletion; exon 20 deletion; exons 21 and 22 deletion; and deletion of exons 5 to 14. The breakpoint junctions were localized and further characterized. Destabilization and global unfolding of the mutated BRCT domains explain the molecular and genetic defects associated with the exon 20 in-frame deletion and the exon 21 and 22 in-frame deletion, respectively. Conclusion Using MLPA, mutations were detected in 6% of high-risk patients previously designated as BRCA1/2 mutation-negative. The breakpoints of five out of six large deletions detected in Czech patients are novel. Screening for large genomic rearrangements in the BRCA1 gene in the Czech high-risk patients is highly supported by this study.