The BRIDGES project was an EU Horizon 2020 project that focused on the identification of women at high risk of breast cancer, particularly through a comprehensive evaluation of DNA variants in known and suspected breast cancer genes.
An important component of the project was targeted sequencing of a panel of 35 genes (table of panel genes), including those on commercial panels. Using this BRIDGES panel, germline DNA was sequenced from around 60,000 cases and 53,000 controls from studies participating in BCAC. The resulting data has been used to estimate the risks of breast cancer overall and by subtype associated with germline protein truncating variants (PTVs) and rare missense variants in these genes.
The primary results from the data analyses are described in Breast Cancer Association Consortium et al (N Engl J Med. 2021) and the summary results can be accessed via:
The BRIDGES panel sequencing was supported by the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation program BRIDGES (grant number, 634935) and the Wellcome Trust (v203477/Z/16/Z).