BIRC5 Genomic Copy Number Variation in Early-Onset Breast Cancer

Background: Baculoviral inhibitor of apoptosis repeat-containing 5 (BIRC5) gene is an inhibitor of apoptosis that expresses in human embryonic tissues but it is absent in most healthy adult tissues. The copy number of BIRC5 has been indicated to be highly increased in tumor tissues; however, its association with the age of onset in breast cancer is not well understood. Methods: Forty tumor tissues of breast cancer were obtained from Tumor Bank of Cancer Institute, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran, Iran. BIRC5 gene copy number variation (CNV) was evaluated using Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA) and then compared with the age of onset for each patient. Results: BIRC5 amplification was seen in 17.5% of cases. Also, a significant association was observed between BIRC5 gene amplification and individuals under 40 years of age (P=0.04). Conclusion: BIRC5 gene has the potential to be a marker for the detection and prognosis of cancer at an early age.