Screening of Finnish RAD51C founder mutations in prostate and colorectal cancer patients

BACKGROUND: Rare, heterozygous germline mutations in the RAD51C gene have been found in breast and ovarian cancer families. In the Finnish population, we have identified two founder mutations in RAD51C that increase the risk of ovarian cancer but not breast cancer in the absence of ovarian cancer. Risk for other cancers has not been studied. METHODS: To study the role of RAD51C mutations in other common cancer types, we genotyped the Finnish RAD51C founder mutations c.837 + 1G > A and c.93delG in 1083 prostate cancer patients and 802 colorectal cancer patients using TaqMan Real-Time PCR. RESULTS: No RAD51C mutations c.837 + 1G > A or c.93delG were detected among the prostate or colorectal cancer patients. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the RAD51C mutations do not predispose to prostate or colorectal cancer.