[Molecular analysis of breast cancers: recent developments]

The etiology of cancer is a complex interplay of various factors, including genetic alterations. Multiple studies have been carried out to identify and characterize mutations that frequently occur during tumorigenesis. In human breast cancer, amplification of proto-oncogenes (c-myc, c-erbB-2/neu) and chromosome 11q13, mutation of p53 and loss of heterozygosity (chromosomes 1, 3p, 6q, 7q, 11p, 13q, 16q, 17, 18q and 22q) represent the major types of genetic abnormalities that have been frequently observed in tumor DNAs. The genetic deletions and mutations could inactivate tumor-suppressor genes. In some studies, specific alterations have been associated with some clinical parameters. Recently, linkage analyses, on large families with a predisposition to breast cancer, have been performed to map putative breast cancer susceptibility genes. The survey of high risk patients should be organised to make an earlier diagnosis.