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Joan Stephenson, PhD

JAMA. 2005;293:2333.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Inhibiting an enzyme involved in DNA repair shows promise as a strategy for preventing and treating some forms of breast cancers, according to two new studies by researchers from England and Sweden (Bryant et al. Nature. 2005;434:913-917 and Farmer et al. Nature. 2005;434:917-921).

Up to 5% to 10% of breast cancer in women is attributable to mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2. These genes encode enzymes that are involved in repairing damaged DNA. In breast tissue, mutations in these genes cause the cells to become cancerous.

The researchers found that another enzyme involved in DNA repair, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), is critical for cells that lack a working copy of BRCA1 or BRCA2. Adding a PARP inhibitor to cultures of mouse or human cells that lacked BRCA1 or BRCA2 stopped the growth of the cancer cells. Inhibiting PARP also prevented the growth of tumors in mice . . . [Full Text of this Article]