ABSTRACT
CONTEXT: Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) affects 1% of women under 40 years of age. POI is idiopathic in more than 70% of cases. Though many candidate genes have been identified in recent years, the prevalence and pathogenicity of abnormalities are still difficult to establish. OBJECTIVE: Our primary objective was to evaluate the prevalence of gene variations in a large prospective multicentric POI cohort. Our secondary objective was to evaluate the correlation between phenotype and genotype. METHODS: Two hundred and sixty-nine well-phenotyped POI patients were screened for variants of 18 known POI genes (BMP15, DMC1, EIF2S2, FIGLA, FOXL2, FSHR, GDF9, GPR3, HFM1, LHX8, MSH5, NOBOX, NR5A1, PGRMC1, STAG3, XPNPEP2, BHLB, and FSHB) by next generation sequencing (NGS). Abnormalities were classified as "variant" or "variant of unknown signification" (VUS) according to available functional tests or algorithms (SIFT, Polyphen-2, MutationTaster). RESULTS: One hundred and two patients (38%) were identified as having at least 1 genetic abnormality. Sixty-seven patients (25%) presented at least 1 variant. Forty-eight patients presented at least 1 VUS (18%). Thirteen patients (5%) had combined abnormalities. NOBOX variants were the most common gene variants involved in POI (9%). Interestingly, we saw no significant differences in the previous family history of POI, ethnic origin, age at onset of POI, primary amenorrhea, or secondary menstrual disturbances between the different genotypes. CONCLUSION: In our study, a high percentage of patients presented gene variants detected by NGS analysis (38%). Every POI patient should undergo NGS analysis to improve medical cares of the patients.
ABSTRACT
The role of gonadotropins in the genesis of malignant diseases, in particular gynecologic cancers, is still controversial. The production of ovarian steroids, as a consequence of FSH and LH actions, may constitute a bias to draw reliable conclusions. Over the past decades, the use of exogenous gonadotropins has markedly increased in cancer patients, candidates for fertility preservation, and in survivors facing infertility as a consequence of gonadotoxic treatments. In gynecologic cancers, high serum estradiol levels may be problematic and can therefore be overcome by specific protocols of ovarian stimulation. However, exogenous gonadotropin administration in cancer patients should systematically be included in a multidisciplinary approach. The present article discusses the possible role of gonadotropins as tumorigenic factors and the use of exogenous gonadotropins in females suffering from cancer.
Subject(s)
Fertility Preservation/methods , Genital Neoplasms, Female/etiology , Gonadotropins/adverse effects , Gonadotropins/physiology , Adult , Animals , Disease Models, Animal , Female , Follicle Stimulating Hormone/physiology , Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone/analogs & derivatives , Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone/metabolism , Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone/therapeutic use , Humans , Infertility, Female/drug therapy , Infertility, Female/etiology , Luteinizing Hormone/physiology , Neoplasms/etiology , Ovulation Induction/adverse effects , Ovulation Induction/methods , Receptors, FSH/metabolismABSTRACT
Few studies have reported reproductive outcomes after breast cancer chemotherapy. The relationship between anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) concentrations and the occurrence of subsequent pregnancies in women after chemotherapy for breast cancer was investigated. Women aged 18-43 years treated with chemotherapy for invasive breast cancer between May 2005 and January 2011 were retrospectively identified. Exclusion criteria were previous gonadotoxic treatment, oophorectomy or hysterectomy. Measurement of AMH took place before, during chemotherapy and at distant time points after the end of chemotherapy (4 months to 5.5 years). Seventeen out of 134 patients experienced 28 spontaneous pregnancies (median follow-up: 59 months). Neither baseline AMH (divided into quartiles) nor end-of-chemotherapy AMH (detectable versus undetectable) were significantly associated with the occurrence of pregnancy. Chemotherapy regimen with anthracyclines was associated with a greater probability of pregnancy compared with a taxane-containing regimen (hazard ratio 4.75; (95% CI 1.76 to 12.8); P = 0.002). Five-year disease-free survival and overall survival rates were 60% (95% CI: 51 to 70; relapse, n = 48) and 88% (95% CI 82 to 95; deaths, n = 21), respectively. AMH did not predict the occurrence of pregnancy. Additional studies assessing ovarian reserve and reproductive outcomes after breast cancer are required.