Primary central nervous system sarcoma with DICER1 mutation-treatment results of a novel molecular entity in pediatric Peruvian patients.

BACKGROUND: A high frequency of primary central nervous system (CNS) sarcomas was observed in Peru. This article describes the clinical characteristics, biological characteristics, and outcome of 70 pediatric patients. METHODS: Data from 70 pediatric patients with primary CNS sarcomas diagnosed between January 2005 and June 2018 were analyzed. DNA methylation profiling from 28 tumors and gene panel sequencing from 27 tumors were available. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 6 years (range, 2-17.5 years), and 66 of 70 patients had supratentorial tumors. DNA methylation profiling classified 28 of 28 tumors as primary CNS sarcoma, DICER1 mutant. DICER1 mutations were found in 26 of 27 cases, TP53 mutations were found in 22 of 27 cases, and RAS-pathway gene mutations (NF1, KRAS, and NRAS) were found in 19 of 27 tumors, all of which were somatic (germline control available in 19 cases). The estimated incidence in Peru was 0.19 cases per 100,000 children (<18 years old) per year, which is significantly higher than the estimated incidence in Germany (0.007 cases per 100,000 children [<18 years] per year; P < .001). Patients with nonmetastatic disease (n = 46) that were treated with a combination therapy had a 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate of 58% (95% CI, 44%-76%) and a 2-year overall survival rate of 71% (95% CI, 57%-87%). PFS was the highest in patients treated with chemotherapy with ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide (ICE) after upfront surgery followed by radiotherapy and ICE (2-year PFS, 79% [59%-100%], n = 18). CONCLUSIONS: Primary CNS sarcoma with DICER1 mutation has an aggressive clinical course. A combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy seems beneficial. An underlying cancer predisposition syndrome explaining the increased incidence in Peruvian patients has not been identified so far. LAY SUMMARY: A high incidence of primary pediatric central nervous system sarcomas in the Peruvian population is described. Using sequencing technologies and DNA methylation profiling, it is confirmed that these tumors molecularly belong to the recently proposed entity "primary central nervous system sarcomas, DICER1 mutant." Unexpectedly, DICER1 mutations as well as all other defining tumor mutations (TP53 mutations and RAS-pathway mutations) were not inherited in all 19 patients where analyzation was possible. These tumors have an aggressive clinical course. Multimodal combination therapy based on surgery, ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide chemotherapy, and local radiotherapy leads to superior outcomes.

[Mutations in the BCR-ABL1 gene in a peruvian patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia resistant to therapy]. / Mutaciones en el gen BCR-ABL1 en un paciente peruano con leucemia linfoblástica aguda resistente a terapia.

CONTEXT: The fusion gene BCR-ABL1 is present in at least the fourth part of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia adult cases. Patients with this fusion gene are candidates to tyrosine kinase inhibitors treatment, and the response to this therapy can be measure by quantification of BCR-ABL1 transcripts. Some patients relapse because the presence of mutations in the tyrosine kinase domain of BCR-ABL1. CASE REPORT: This is a report of a patient with BCR-ABL1 who initially achieved molecular response with imatinib therapy, relapsing after fifteen months. The treatment was changed to dasatinib, but the patient doesn't achieve molecular response. Retrospectively, we analyzed the tyrosine kinase domain of BCR-ABL1 and we found three mutations (E459K, E255K and V299L). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that gain of mutations during treatment with TKIs has strong impact in the progress of disease, being relevant the detection of BCR-ABL1 mutations in relapsed patients or in case of BCR-ABL1 persistence.

[Microsatellite instability in patients with diagnostic of colorectal cancer]. / Inestabilidad de microsatélites en pacientes con diagnóstico de cáncer colorrectal.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the presence of microsatellite instability in patients with colorectal cancer using the molecular panel Bethesda and discuss its significance in patients with suspected hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) or Lynch Syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We worked with samples of peripheral blood and tumor tissue of 28 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer referred to the Laboratory of Molecular Biology of the Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas (INEN), Lima, with suspected of Lynch syndrome. DNA was extracted using kits of nucleic acid extraction of peripheral blood and paraffin-embedded tumor tissue. Five microsatellite markers of Bethesda panel were amplified: BAT25, BAT26, D2S123, D5S346 and D17S250, by polymerase chain reaction. IMS analysis was performed by electrophoresis on chip in the Bioanalyzer Agilent 2100. RESULTS: Of the patients studied, 11 had high IMS(IMS-H) and one could not be fully ranked, staying as MSI-H / IMS-L. In all cases of IMS-H both BAT26 and BAT25 were unstable. The IMS-H in these patients indicates high probability of HNPCC or Lynch syndrome; it must be contrasted with the genetic analysis of MMR genes. CONCLUSION: The technique allowed determine which patients have to continue with the study of system mismatch repair genes, for establish whether we facing to HNPCC or sporadic colorectal cancer.

Inestabilidad de microsatélites en pacientes con diagnóstico de cáncer colorrecta / Microsatellite instability in patients with diagnostic of colorectal cancer

Determinar la presencia de inestabilidad de microsatélites en pacientes con cáncer colorrectal usando el panel molecular Bethesda y discutir su importancia en pacientes con sospecha de cáncer colorrectal hereditario no polipósico (HNPCC) o con sospecha de síndrome de Lynch. Materiales y métodos: Se trabajó con muestras de sangre periférica y tejido tumoral de 28 pacientes con diagnóstico de cáncer colorrectal remitidos al laboratorio de Biología Molecular del Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplásicas (INEN) de Lima, bajo sospecha de Síndrome de Lynch. El ADN fue extraído utilizando kits de extracción de ácidos nucleicos para sangre periférica y tejido tumoral embebido en parafina. Se amplificaron los cinco marcadores microsatélites del panel Bethesda: BAT25, BAT26, D2S123, D5S346 y D17S250, por reacción en cadena de la polimerasa. El análisis de IMS fue realizado mediante electroforesis en chip en el bioanalizador Agilent 2100. Resultados: Del total de pacientes estudiados 11 tuvieron IMS alta (IMS-H) y uno no pudo ser totalmente clasificado quedando como IMS-H/IMS-L. En todos los casos de IMS-H tanto BAT25 como BAT26 resultaron inestables. La IMS-H en estos pacientes indica mayor probabilidad de HNPCC o síndrome de Lynch, lo cual debe ser contrastado con el análisis genético de los genes MMR. Conclusión: La técnica permitió determinar cuáles son los pacientes que deben continuar con el estudio de los genes del sistema de reparación de mal apareamiento del ADN, para establecer si estamos frente a casos de HNPCC o ante casos de cáncer colorrectal esporádicos...

To determine the presence of microsatellite instability in patients with colorectal cancer using the molecular panel Bethesda and discuss its significance in patients with suspected hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) or Lynch Syndrome. Materials and methods: We worked with samples of peripheral blood and tumor tissue of 28 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer referred to the Laboratory of Molecular Biology of the Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas (INEN), Lima, with suspected of Lynch syndrome. DNA was extracted using kits of nucleic acid extraction of peripheral blood and paraffin-embedded tumor tissue. Five microsatellite markers of Bethesda panel were amplified: BAT25, BAT26, D2S123, D5S346 and D17S250, by polymerase chain reaction. IMS analysis was performed by electrophoresis on chip in the Bioanalyzer Agilent 2100. Results: Of the patients studied, 11 had high IMS (IMS-H) and one could not be fully ranked, staying as MSI-H / IMS-L. In all cases of IMS-H both BAT26 and BAT25 were unstable. The IMS-H in these patients indicates high probability of HNPCC or Lynch syndrome; it must be contrasted with the genetic analysis of MMR genes. Conclusion: The technique allowed determine which patients have to continue with the study of system mismatch repair genes, for establish whether we facing to HNPCC or sporadic colorectal cancer...

Clinical and Molecular Features of Late Onset Huntington Disease in a Peruvian Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Late onset cases of Huntington disease (HD), with onset ≥60 years, account for up to 20% of HD cases worldwide. Clinical features include mild motor dysfunction with slow progression and cognitive impairment, frequent absence of family history and low number of CAG repeats. The clinical and molecular features of late onset HD is still understudied in Latin America. OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical and molecular characteristics of late onset HD in a Peruvian cohort. METHODS: An observational study was carried out by reviewing the HD registry at the Neurogenetics Research Center-INCN from 2000 to 2014. Genotyping of HTT gene …was confirmed using standard PCR and PAGE in accordance to protocols previously established. RESULTS: Thirty-one late onset HD cases from 27 pedigrees were identified (9.42% of total HD cases, n = 329), 51.61% were male. Mean age at onset was 64.1 ± 4.2 and CAG repeats mean was 42.5 ± 2.5. We did not find significant correlation between age at onset and CAG repeats. 33.3% of cases were traced back to Cañete valley. Twenty-two cases had a positive family history, 14 of them with paternal transmission. Choreic movements and cognitive impairment were the main existing manifestations reported in this cohort, with lower frequency of psychiatric disturbances. CONCLUSIONS: This report of late onset HD affected individuals shows a mild phenotype expression of the disease, associated with low range of CAG repeats and up to 30% of cases with absence of clear family history. Cañete valley remains the region with more cases.

Genes de fusión en leucemia linfática aguda / Fusion genes in acute lymphatic leukemia

En la Leucemia linfática aguda (LLA) pediátrica las cinco fusiones génicas más frecuentes descritas son: ETV6/RUNX1, BCR/ABL variante p190, BCR/ABL variante p210, E2A/PBX1, MLL/AF4 y representan alrededor del 40%. Se busca determinar la frecuencia e importancia de las principales fusiones génica en la leucemia linfática en un grupo de pacientes pediátricos del INEN. Se realizó el análisis molecular de cinco genes de fusión en 23 pacientes con diagnóstico de LLA-B, obteniéndose las siguientes frecuencias: ETV6/RUNX1 (17.4%), BCR/ABL variante p190 (8.7%), BCR/ABL variante p210 (8.7%), E2A/PBX1 (8.7%), MLL/AF4 (4.3%). Esta metodología de estudio de los cinco genes de fusión, debe considerarse como herramienta de apoyo al diagnóstico y monitoreo en uso de terapias blanco en todos los casos de la LLA-B pediátricas.