The Genetics of Breast Cancer 
and Head & Neck Paragangliomas

Research programs

Research by our group is focused on two types of cancer: breast cancer and head & neck paragangliomas. The breast cancer program has a number of objectives including improving the sensitivity of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation testing, search for additional breast cancer susceptibility genes, search for genes that may modify the cancer risks conferred by BRCA1 and BRCA2, understanding the role of BRCA1 in breast cancer development, and search for genes on chromosome 16q that are targeted by loss of heterozygosity. The paraganglioma program is aimed at understanding the role of SDHD in tumor development, the identification of additional genes that cause the inherited form of the disease, and the search for genes involved in the non-inherited form of the disease. Virtually all these projects are supported by the Dutch Cancer Society (DCS).
Last update: 10-01-2002

Breast Cancer

A prospective study of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations among a hospital-based cohort of breast cancer patients
Funded by the DCS, started 1997. Description and recent results here
A linkage search for new breast cancer susceptibility genes 
Funded by the DCS, started 1999. Description and recent results here
Expression-based positional cloning of breast tumour suppressor genes on chromosome arm 16q 
Funded by the DCS, started 2000. Description and recent results here
Identification of E-cadherin mediated expression patterns involved in the development of lobular breast cancer 
Funded by the AICR, started 2000. Description and recent results here
Refining risk assessment in BRCA1- and BRCA2-carriers: analysis of unclassified variants and a search for risk-modifying factors 
Funded by the DCS, started 2001. Description here
Functional analysis of BRCA1 in breast cancer development
Funded by the DCS, started 2001. Description here

Head & Neck Paragangliomas

Positional cloning of PGL1, an imprinted gene causing hereditary paraganglioma
Funded by the DCS, started 1998. Description and recent results here
Mechanism of tumorigenesis of hereditary paragangliomas of the head and neck
Funded by the DCS, starting 2002. Description and recent results here