Evaluation of familial clustering of breast and prostate cancer in the Minnesota Breast Cancer Family Study

Few studies examining familial clustering of breast and prostate cancer (PC) have focused on a clearly defined high-risk population with epidemiologic risk factors. We conducted a cohort study of prostate cancer among a subset of 426 families ascertained through female breast cancer probands. Three groups of males were included: 804 relatives in 60 families with four or more breast or ovarian cancers, 536 marry-ins in these high-risk families, and 484 relatives in 81 families where only the proband had breast cancer. A total of 118 prostate cancers were reported. The rate of prostate cancer among blood relatives in high-risk families was significantly lower than among marry-ins (RR=0.6, 95% C.I.: 0.4–0.9). The rate of prostate cancer among blood relatives in low-risk families was not significantly different from the rate among marry-ins (RR=0.8, 95% C.I.: 0.5–1.2). These results provide little evidence that male relatives in high-risk breast cancer families are at increased risk of prostate cancer.