Online Research Resources Developed at NHGRI (original) (raw)

Breast Cancer Information Core

An Open Access On-Line Breast Cancer Mutation Data Base

An International Collaborative Effort hosted by NHGRI

The recent identification of mutations in breast cancer susceptibility genes has provided the exciting opportunity to help identify women who are at high risk to develop breast cancer. One of the serious impediments to achieving clinical benefits from this information however, is finding and assessing the significance of mutations in these new susceptibility genes. It is imperative that the detection and interpretation of these mutations is coordinated and that this information is made available to as many qualified investigators as possible. There are many sites on the Web that contain general as well as scientific information relevant to breast cancer. A partial list of these can be found here.

Having participated in the poorly coordinated analysis of other cancer susceptibility genes, we consider it important to create and maintain a central repository for information regarding mutations and polymorphisms. We also think it critical to make available the reagents necessary to carry out many different techniques for the detection of such mutations.

When the BRCA1 gene was cloned, a Steering Committee was initiated to help coordinate the formation of a Breast Cancer Information Core (BIC) that could act as such a central repository. We have chosen as the most accessible format for the BIC this World Wide Web site, which is accessible by a password provided to members who abide by a set of guidelines.

Important Notice

March 28, 2019

Please note that the BIC database is no longer actively curated. A copy of all BIC data has been shared with several other variation databases.

To obtain the most up-to-date information on BRCA1 and BRCA2 variants and variant classification, we recommend that you visit the resources listed below. These are actively curated and freely available to all. We will maintain the BIC database going forward to allow historical studies and other uses.

ClinVar
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/clinvar/
"ClinVar aggregates information about genomic variation and its relationship to human health."

The BRCA Exchange
https://brcaexchange.org
"The BRCA Exchange aims to advance our understanding of the genetic basis of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and other diseases by pooling data on BRCA1/2 genetic variants and corresponding clinical data from around the world."

Last Modified: Friday, 05-Mar-2021 10:16:00 EST