RESPONSE: Re: Germline BRCA1 Mutations and a Basal Epithelial Phenotype in Breast Cancer

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Abstract
We note with interest that data from Palacios et al. broadly support our original observation, and that the data from van der Groep et al. extend our findings to include other basal-associated markers, in this case, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). It is notable that van der Groep et al. found that BRCA2-related breast cancers also tended to share the basal epithelioid phenotype previously identified only in BRCA1-related breast cancers. This result should be interpreted cautiously, particularly because only four tumors were studied and because all four BRCA2 tumors were estrogen receptor (ER)-negative, which is unusual. Most BRCA2-related breast cancers are ER-positive (1). Moreover, the reports of Sørlie et al. (2) and Palacios et al. do not suggest that the basal phenotype of BRCA1-related breast cancer is likely to be extendible to BRCA2-related breast cancer.