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Updated: Jul 25, 2025

Silencing of BRCA2 to Identify Novel BRCA2-regulated Biological Functions in Cultured Human Cells
Published on: August 12, 2015
BRCA2 reversion mutation confers resistance to olaparib in breast cancer
Shinya Yamamoto1, Kei Kawashima1, Yoshie Fujiwara1
1Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery Yokohama City University Medical Center Yokohama Japan.
Key Clinical Message:
A rare missense mutation was identified as a reversion mutation using cancer genomic profiling and a suspected mechanism underlying resistance to olaparib in breast cancer.
Abstract:
A 34-year-old woman with breast cancer and BRCA2: p.Gln3047Ter was treated with olaparib. After tumor progression, cancer genomic profiling testing using liquid biopsy revealed BRCA2 p.Gln3047Ter and p.Gln3047Tyr, with 48.9% and 0.37% allele frequency, respectively. These findings shed light on reversion mutation as a mechanism of resistance to olaparib in breast cancer.
Insights
A rare reversion mutation in BRCA2, p.Gln3047Tyr, was identified as a mechanism of resistance to olaparib in a breast cancer patient. This finding is crucial for understanding treatment resistance in BRCA-mutated cancers.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Genetics
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Olaparib is a PARP inhibitor used to treat BRCA-mutated breast cancer.
- Resistance to olaparib can develop through various mechanisms, including secondary mutations in BRCA genes.
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