Identification of genomic copy number variations in lung benign metastasizing leiomyomatosis.

OBJECTIVES: Lung metastasizing leiomyomatosis (LML) is an infrequently diagnosed pathology developed after sexual maturation, commonly preceded by uterine myomas. Symptoms can include difficulties to breathe, cough, dyspnea and pain, because of mechanical obstruction exerted by expanding local growing leiomyomas. Lung leiomyomas are normally detected by imaging studies, but nowadays the precise diagnosis demands histological characterization of biopsies obtained from the affected tissues. The purpose of the present study was to determine the presence of genomic alterations in circulating cells of LML. METHODS: Immunohistochemical characterization of a lung biopsy extracted by thoracoscopy was performed. Pathologic proliferative smooth muscle cells were observed in a major lung metastasizing nodule, with a growing pattern similar to a uterine myoma. The presence of cellular linages different to smooth muscle cells was discarded by testing the presence of a battery of molecular markers. Also, a normal karyotype was determine by GTG-banding cytogenetic study, but a high density microarray analysis revealed six submicroscopic chromosomal regions displaying genomic abnormalities: microduplications were detected on chromosomes 4, 14, 17 and 22; and microdeletions on chromosomes 8 and 10. CONCLUSION: This study remarks the relevance of submicroscopic chromosomal analysis of unusual pathologic conditions such as Benign Metastasizing Leiomyomatosis. This propitiate a better understanding of the molecular basis on the development of the pathology, in order to reckon on minimally invasive diagnostic methods, and to design appropriate treatments.

[Li-Fraumeni familial cancer syndrome: case report and review of the literature]. / Síndrome de Li Fraumeni. Cáncer familiar comunicación de un caso y revisión de la literatura.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple familial cancer is a rare entity as is also Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS), which involves a mutation in the germ cell line of Tp53 suppresor gene that is expressed in chromosome 17p13.1 and occurs as an autosomal dominant condition. OBJECTIVE: Presentation of one case of LFS. CLINICAL CASE: Family history: maternal grandfather had melanoma and maternal aunt had osteoblastic osteosarcoma of the left distal femur. Eight-and-a-half year-old child with a history of a CNS tumor (choroid plexus carcinoma) and two years later, a melanoma (Spitz nevus). SYMPTOMS: impaired motor function of the left half of the body and pain upon ipsilateral gait. The physical exam showed swelling of the left iliac crest. The X-rays showed osteoblastic osteosarcoma and the fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) was positive. The diagnosis was made according to the clinical criteria for LFS. DISCUSSION: We report a case of LFS diagnosed based on clinical criteria. We suggest that the questioning of patients with cancer be aimed at finding out the family history of neoplasias. The case presented herein shows an evident association between both choroid plexus carcinoma and osteoblastic osteosarcoma and the patient's family history. We think that any physician treating children with cancer should consider these multiple familial cancer syndromes.