Abstract:
Breast cancer constitutes one of the most health problems in Algeria. However, their
causes are obscure and poorly understood. It is the most common female malignancy in
term of incidence and frequency; young women were more likely affected by the disease
than before.
In order to dispel the epidemiological and genetic profile of early onset Algerian breast
cancer, a cross sectional study was conducted among women diagnosed with the disease at
40 years of age and under, from the east.
The epidemiological approach shows that a radical change in lifestyle among Algerian
woman appears to be related to the increase of breast cancer incidence, characterized
mainly by the decline in age at first pregnancy, breastfeeding regression and the presence
of overweight and obesity. It also confirms the existence of worse tumor characteristics.
The aim of the genetic study was to assess frequencies and types of germline BRCA1
and BRCA2 mutations in 100 young patients from Algeria unselected for family history.
Overall, disease was linked to BRCA1 gene in an estimated 47% of patients, to BRCA2 in
52.94%, and to both genes in 17.17%. Two deleterious founder mutations seem present.
(c.5332+1G>A and c.7654dupA).
High nuclear grade, large tumor size, locally advanced stage and the presence of
pathogenic BRCA1/2 mutations are the main features of early onset Algerian breast
cancer.
The struggle against this treacherous enemy requires the implementation of other
preventive strategies, thus salivary profiles of twelve patients and three healthy women,
obtained by electrophoresis were evaluated to detect salivary biomarkers, which can be
exploited as diagnostic or followed through. Quantitative and qualitative changes of one or
more proteins have been identified.
