A 30-Year-Old Woman Has a Right Mastectomy and Axillary Lymph

A 30-year-old woman has a right mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection for a carcinoma diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology. The histologic pattern is that of a poorly differentiated carcinoma that is negative for oestrogen and progesterone receptors, but is positive for HER2/neu. One axillary lymph node demonstrates micro- metastases. Her 32 year old sister is found to have a similar lesion. Which of the following statements regarding risk factors for this lesion is the most appropriate?

A) A history of late menarche is likely to be present in females in this family
B) Fibrocystic changes were present for many years
C) She had a history of exposure to hydrocarbon compounds
D) She has a positive antinuclear antibody test
E) These findings suggest a BRCA-1 mutation