BRCA-associated ovarian cancer (the experience of the Chemotherapy Department in N.N.Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center of the Ministry of Health of Russia)

In recent years, the main scientific directions concerning ovarian cancer have been associated with the attempt to individualize the treatment based on prognostic and predictive molecular biological markers. The damage in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes is identified in 10-15% of ovarian cancer cases. The main function of BRCA proteins is responsibility for repairing double-strand break in DNA by a mechanism of homologous recombination. The result of BRCA gene dysfunction is BRCA-associated DNA damage repair mechanism. As a result, these tumors can be extremely sensitive to DNA-damaging cytostatic agents - such as platinum-based drugs. Several studies show the better survival rates of patients with BRCA mutations in comparison with sporadic ovarian cancer. The information concerning the course of disease and treatment characteristics of patients with ovarian cancer associated with BRCA1, 2 mutations in the Russian population of patients is extremely limited.