A COMPREHENSIVE meta-analysis has revealed that high expression of RAD51 family genes is associated with poorer outcomes in breast cancer patients. The RAD51 gene family plays a critical role in DNA repair, and increasing evidence suggests that its aberrant expression may be linked to cancer progression. This study, which analysed data from 13 studies involving 20,222 patients, aimed to investigate the prognostic significance of RAD51 overexpression in breast cancer.
The results showed that high RAD51 expression correlated with reduced overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and disease-specific survival (DSS), with hazard ratios (HRs) of 1.305, 1.588, and 1.403, respectively. Additionally, subgroup analyses indicated that high RAD51 expression was linked to worsened outcomes in OS, DFS, and progression-free survival (PFS), particularly in HER2-positive breast cancer subtypes.
Interestingly, RAD51 paralogs were associated with improved PFS, suggesting a more complex role in tumour progression. Furthermore, the study found that elevated RAD51 expression was significantly linked to HER2 positivity, a known factor in aggressive breast cancer.
These findings underscore the potential of RAD51 family genes as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target. The study highlights the importance of further research into RAD51‘s role in breast cancer management, offering hope for the development of targeted treatments to improve patient outcomes.
Helena Bradbury, EMJ
Reference
Liu YC et al. Meta-analysis of the association between overexpression of RAD51 family genes and prognosis and clinical features in breast cancer. Scientific Reports. 2025;15(4229).
