Review
Genomics and premalignant breast lesions: clues to the development and progression of lobular breast cancer
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* Corresponding author: Teresa L Mastracci tmastracci@bccrc.ca
1 Department of Cancer Genetics and Developmental Biology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, West 10th Ave, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5Z 1L3
2 Department of Pathology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Medical Center North, Nashville, TN, USA 37232
3 Fred A Litwin Centre for Cancer Genetics, Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, University Ave, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 1X5
4 Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University, St. Nicholas Ave, New York, NY, USA 10032
5 American University of Beirut Medical Center, Riad El Solh, Beirut, Lebanon 1107 2020
Breast Cancer Research 2007, 9:215 doi:10.1186/bcr1785
Published: 16 November 2007Abstract
Advances in genomic technology have improved our understanding of the genetic events that parallel breast cancer development. Because almost all mammary carcinomas develop in the terminal duct lobular units of the breast, understanding the events involved in mammary gland development make it possible to recognize those events that, when altered, contribute to breast neoplasia. In this review we focus on lobular carcinomas, discussing the pathology, development, and progression of premalignant lobular lesions from a genomic point of view. We highlight studies utilizing genomic approaches and describe how these investigations have furthered our understanding of the complexity of premalignant breast lesions.