Table 1.
Summary of studies carried out that evaluated the risks associated with exposure to ionizing radiation, associated with diagnostic exams, in carriers of mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.
| Authors | Year | Sample Size (n) | Gene | Exposure Type | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Narold et al. [41] | 2006 | 3200 (1600 carriers with breast cancer and 1600 healthy carriers) | BRCA1 and BRCA2 | Mammography | No association was found between having a mammogram and breast cancer risk |
| Goldfrank et al. [42] | 2006 | 213 carriers | BRCA1 and BRCA2 | Mammography | No association was found between mammogram exposure and breast cancer risk |
| John et al. [43] | 2013 | 727 (454 BRCA1 and 273 BRCA2 mutation carriers aged <50 years) | BRCA1 and BRCA2 | Chest x-rays | No association was found between diagnostic chest x-rays and breast cancer risk before age 50 years |
| Giannakeas et al. [44] | 2014 | 2346 (1844 BRCA1 mutation carriers and 502 BRCA2 mutation carriers) | BRCA1 and BRCA2 | Mammography | No significant association was found between prior mammography exposure and breast cancer risk for BRCA1 or BRCA2 carriers |
| Andrieu et al. [45] | 2006 | 1601 carriers (1187 BRCA1 mutation carriers and 414 BRCA2 mutation carriers) | BRCA1 and BRCA2 | Chest x-rays | A positive association was found between diagnostic chest x-rays and breast cancer risk. In addition, the risk was increased in women aged 40 years and younger |
| Lecarpentier et al. [46] | 2011 | 990 (379 affected by breast cancer and 611 unaffected) | BRCA1 and BRCA2 | Chest x-rays | An association was found between exposure to chest x-rays and the risk of breast cancer. A positive association was found between smoking and cancer risk |
| Pijpe et al. [47] | 2012 | 1993 carriers | BRCA1 and BRCA2 | <0.0020 Gy, ≥0.0020–0.0065 Gy, ≥0.0066–0.0173 Gy, and ≥0.0174 Gy |
A positive association was found between diagnostic chest x-rays before the age of 30 and breast cancer risk |
| Baert et al. [48] | 2016 | 36 (18 carriers of BRCA1 mutations and 18 non-carriers) | BRCA1 | 2 and 4 Gy | Healthy individuals with a BRCA1 mutation show a significantly increased radiosensitivity compared with healthy controls |
| Baert et al. [49] | 2017 | 35 (18 carriers of mutations in BRCA2 gene and 17 non-carriers) | BRCA2 | 2 Gy | An increased radiosensitivity was found in BRCA2 mutation carriers compared to non-carriers |