Moien Kanaan, PhD

Increasing genetic screening and advancing the understanding of inherited risk factors in diverse populations in the Middle East.

Impact

Breast cancer is a major health concern for women around the world, yet many populations lack the same genetic risk assessment as the general population. Until recently, Palestinian women lacked access to genetic testing and cancer risk evaluation. The Middle East Breast Cancer Study (MEBCS), led by BCRF investigators Moien Kanaan, Ephrat Levy-Lahad, and Mary-Claire King, is changing that. MEBCS is the largest and most systematic study of breast cancer genetics among Arab women and has already enrolled over 1,700 patients and 400 of their family members. This landmark initiative is not only building local capacity for cancer genetics in Palestine but also producing scientific insights with global relevance.

Progress Thus Far

The study has uncovered a wide range of inherited mutations linked to breast cancer risk, many of which are unique to Palestinian families. For example, the study recently clarified the clinical significance of a common TP53 mutation found in Palestinian women. They found that it increases breast cancer risk but, unlike most mutations in this gene, does not raise cancer risk in children. This finding helps spare families from unnecessary and stressful pediatric screenings and informs care for women worldwide with similar mutations. More generally, this finding demonstrates that not all mutations within the same gene have the same effects.

The project is also training the next generation of Palestinian scientists and health professionals, including nurses, social workers, and PhD researchers, who are now embedded in the ongoing program. Thanks to MEBCS, genetic testing and counseling, once unavailable in Palestine, are now offered free of charge. Over the past three years, the team has established sister centers for enrollment at multiple hospitals and clinics throughout the Palestinian Authority.

What’s next

In the coming year, the MEBCS team will continue enrolling newly diagnosed patients and providing genetic testing for them and their family members. The team will also begin investigating whether some inherited breast cancer risk may be passed down recessively (requiring a mutated gene copy from both parents) in severely affected families who show no mutation in any of the known breast cancer genes, in search of new genetic explanations for their risk.