Breast cancer in young women: prevalence of LOH at p53, BRCA1 and BRCA2

28/31 (90%) cases exhibited LOH for at least one marker and 19 (61%) cases showed LOH at 2 or more markers. There was no MI detected. The frequency of LOH detected for each of the markers was as follows: 17p, D17S796 (37%) and D17S799 (61%); 17q, D17S855 (65%) and THRA1 (41%); and 13q, D13S171 (48%). These frequencies are higher (apart from THRA1) than those previously reported for unselected series of breast cancer. Other markers are currently being investigated. These results suggest that LOH at these regions could be related to early onset breast cancer and to poor tumour prognosis.