Presence of brain metastases in patients with ovarian cancer: a place for BRCA1/2 gene testing?

Abstract

Ovarian cancer represents the fourth most common female cancer, with the presence of brain metastases being rare (<2%) among these patients. This percentage, although, has risen in the last decades, possibly due to the improved anticancer therapies that result in better survival of these patients. A literature review that was conducted revealed several cases of ovarian cancer patients with brain metastasis being positive for BRCA1/2 gene mutations. In ovarian cancer, BRCA1/2 mutations are associated with different survivals and diseases—free survival, while the development of brain metastases has been thought to represent a different biological phenotype of the disease. Therefore, in this report, we discuss the basis of the hypothesis that ovarian cancer patients with brain metastases should be screened for BRCA1/2 gene mutations.