Low incidence of methylation of the promoter region of the FANCF gene in Japanese primary breast cancer

Purpose The link between BRCA1 dysfunction and basal-like breast cancer or triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has been suggested; however, the associations of other factors involved in the Fanconi anemia (FA)/BRCA pathway with the pathogenesis of basal-like breast cancer remain unidentified. FANCF protein is a component of the FA core complex. The methylation of CpG islands in the FANCF gene plays an important role in occurrence of ovarian cancer and also is an important regulator of cisplatin sensitivity of ovarian cancer. The purpose of this study is to investigate the frequency of FANCF methylation, and to discuss its involvement in the pathogenesis of TNBC and its potency as a predictor of cisplatin sensitivity for breast cancer. Methods The methylation of the FANCF gene promoter was investigated, using methylation-specific PCR, in genomic DNA of 99 invasive breast carcinoma specimens obtained from Japanese patients. Results FANCF methylation was recognized in only 4 of 99 cases (4.0%). No significant correlation was found between FANCF methylation and the expression of ER, PR, HER2, and TNBC. Conclusions FANCF methylation is a rare event in Japanese primary invasive breast cancer. This suggests it is not involved in the pathogenesis of TNBC, and it could not be used as a predictor of cisplatin sensitivity in breast cancer.