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Prognostic and Therapeutic Relevance of BRCA1/2 Zygosity in Prostate Cancer: A Multicohort Desk-Based Analysis

Parawansa, A. M. R. P. B.; Yaqin, M. A.; Murtadho, F. A.

2026-02-16 oncology
10.64898/2026.02.13.26346266 medRxiv
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IntroductionBRCA1/2 alterations are increasingly recognized as biologically and clinically relevant features in prostate cancer, yet the prognostic and therapeutic significance of zygosity status remains uncertain. Understanding differences between monoallelic and biallelic inactivation may refine risk stratification and guide therapeutic decision-making. Materials and MethodsA retrospective, desk-based observational analysis was performed using publicly accessible datasets from TCGA-PRAD (primary disease) and SU2C/PCF (metastatic disease). BRCA1/2 status was categorized as wild-type, monoallelic, or biallelic based on mutation, copy-number, and loss-of-heterozygosity profiles. Overall survival was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox models. Systemic therapy outcomes were assessed by treatment class, incorporating exploratory interaction tests. ResultsIn TCGA-PRAD (n=300), OS did not significantly differ by zygosity (global log-rank p=0.45), with median OS of 80.0 months (wild-type), 78.0 months (monoallelic), and 55.0 months (biallelic). In SU2C/PCF (n=200), zygosity stratified outcomes significantly (global log-rank p=0.04): median OS was 22.0 months (wild-type), 14.0 months (monoallelic), and 16.0 months (biallelic). Treatment analyses showed ARSI exposure improved OS in wild-type disease (HR 0.60; 95% CI 0.38-0.95), while interaction testing suggested potential heterogeneity without statistical confirmation (interaction p=0.092). PARP inhibitor exposure showed directionally favorable HRs in wild-type and monoallelic groups but no significant interaction (interaction p=0.757). No therapy class demonstrated consistent effect modification by zygosity. ConclusionBRCA1/2 zygosity shows prognostic relevance in metastatic prostate cancer but not clearly in primary disease. While zygosity did not consistently modify systemic therapy associations in this dataset, findings support zygosity-aware reporting as a practical tool for molecular stratification and future research design.

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