Out-RANKing BRCA1 in Mutation Carriers

Abstract

Beyond prophylactic mastectomy, there are currently very few options available to BRCA1 mutation carriers to help reduce their risk of developing breast cancer. An effective prevention therapy therefore remains a pressing area of need. Accumulating evidence points to amplification of the progesterone signaling axis in precancerous tissue from BRCA1 mutation carriers. Given that RANKL is an important paracrine mediator of hormonal signaling in breast tissue, there has been considerable interest in exploring a potential role for this pathway in oncogenesis. Recent findings indicate that the RANK and NF-κB pathways are aberrantly activated in luminal progenitor cells resident in preneoplastic B..