Breast Cancer Treatment in Women with PALB2 Mutations

About the Study

The Study is an international research study to better understand breast cancer treatment among women with a gene mutation. Participants are asked to complete online or paper study questionnaires (every two years for 10 years) and share their family history, medical, and genetics records.

Research shows that mutations increase the risk of developing breast cancer; however, it is not clear how to best treat or reduce the risk of breast cancer in women with mutations. Learning more about breast cancer among women with a mutation will help to better understand:

If women with a PALB2-associated breast cancer have an increased risk of developing a new breast cancer
The best treatment for women with a mutation and breast cancer to increase the chance of survival
How healthy family members who carry a mutation can best manage their cancer risks (through screening, preventive surgery, etc.)

Through a better understanding of PALB2-associated breast cancer, we can personalize breast cancer treatment to increase survival and determine how to best manage at risk family members to detect cancer early or prevent it.

What the Study Entails

You do not have to travel to participate; all study forms and questionnaires can be completed from home. If you choose to participate, you will be asked to:

Complete a consent form indicating your willingness to participate
Provide contact information for yourself and an alternate contact
Complete a questionnaire about your breast cancer at the beginning of the study and follow-up questionnaires every two years for 10 years to record and changes in your health (total of six questionnaires)
Provide your family history
Give permission to the study to collect medical records about your genetic test results and your cancer diagnosis and treatment

Study Lead Investigator

Kelly Metcalfe, PhD
Women's College Research Institute
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

This Study is Open To:

You are eligible to participate in this study if you meet all of the following criteria:

You are a woman who has a mutation and
You were diagnosed with breast cancer in the year 2000 or later and
Your breast cancer was your first diagnosis of cancer
You can read and understand English

This Study is Not Open To:

The study is not open to:

Women who have not been diagnosed with breast cancer
Women who do not carry a mutation