Dr Muhammad Usman Rashid speaks to ecancer about the contribution of constitutional BRCA1 promoter methylation to early-onset and familial breast cancer patients from Pakistan.

BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are crucial in breast cancer, especially in the Pakistani population where mutations are common.

Triple-negative breast cancer is prevalent, and BRCA1 mutation carriers often experience aggressive disease.

The study Dr Rashid presented at WCC 2024 reveals BRCA1 promoter methylation as a gene silencing mechanism.

With rising global cancer cases, noninvasive testing is essential for assessing breast cancer risk.

Dr Rashid highlights that awareness campaigns and free treatment initiatives are vital for early detection.

He gives examples of how his institute has had successful campaigns in a low, middle-income setting which has contributed to earlier detection of breast cancer in Pakistan and improved awareness.