Genetic & Pathological Studies of BRCA1/BRCA2: Associated Tumors & Blood Samples

To establish a demographic database to evaluate the efficacy of medical interventions in patients and relatives who carry BRCA1 and 2 mutations and to compare these outcomes to patients who do not carry a BRCA1 or 2 mutation.
To obtain blood samples from patients who undergo genetic testing to a) evaluate the incidence of genetic modifier polymorphisms involved in the development of cancer in BRCA1 and 2 mutation carriers and to compare this incidence to non-BRCA 1 and 2 carriers. b) to understand the interaction of genetic modifiers and BRCA1 and 2 in the development of cancer. c) to determine the effect of environmental influences on the incidence of polymorphisms in genetic modifiers and on the penetrance of BRCA1 and 2 mutations by linking information from our demographic database to blood samples and
To obtain tumor tissue from BRCA1 and 2 carriers to utilize for gene expression studies.
To establish a cohort of sporadic breast cancer patients, or women with no family history of cancer in a first degree relative, to serve as a comparison group to women with strong family history of breast cancer.
To establish a cohort of healthy volunteers without personal or family history of cancer to serve as a comparison group to women with sporadic and familial breast cancer.