Prevalence of lung cysts in adolescents and adults with a germline DICER1 pathogenic/likely pathogenic variant: a report from the National Institutes of Health and International Pleuropulmonary Blastoma/DICER1 Registry.

BACKGROUND: Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB), the hallmark tumour associated with DICER1-related tumour predisposition, is characterised by an age-related progression from a cystic lesion (type I) to a high-grade sarcoma with mixed cystic and solid features (type II) or purely solid lesion (type III). Not all cystic PPBs progress; type Ir (regressed), hypothesised to represent regressed or non-progressed type I PPB, is an air-filled, cystic lesion lacking a primitive sarcomatous component. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of non-progressed lung cysts detected by CT scan in adolescents and adults with germline DICER1 pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants. METHODS: Individuals were enrolled in the National Cancer Institute Natural History of DICER1 Syndrome study, the International PPB/DICER1 Registry and/or the International Ovarian and Testicular Stromal Tumor Registry. Individuals with a germline DICER1 P/LP variant with first chest CT at 12 years of age or older were selected for this analysis. RESULTS: In the combined databases, 110 individuals with a germline DICER1 P/LP variant who underwent first chest CT at or after the age of 12 were identified. Cystic lung lesions were identified in 38% (42/110) with a total of 72 cystic lesions detected. No demographic differences were noted between those with lung cysts and those without lung cysts. Five cysts were resected with four centrally reviewed as type Ir PPB. CONCLUSION: Lung cysts are common in adolescents and adults with germline DICER1 variation. Further study is needed to understand the mechanism of non-progression or regression of lung cysts in childhood to guide judicious intervention.

NUT carcinoma in pediatric patients: Characteristics, therapeutic regimens, and outcomes of 11 cases registered with the German Registry for Rare Pediatric Tumors (STEP).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Nuclear protein of the testis (NUT) carcinoma (NC) is a rare and highly aggressive tumor defined by the presence of a somatic NUTM1 rearrangement, occurring mainly in adolescents and young adults. We analyzed the clinical and biological features of German pediatric patients (≤18 years) with NC. METHODS: This study describes the characteristics and outcome of 11 children with NC registered in the German Registry for Rare Pediatric Tumors (STEP). RESULTS: Eleven patients with a median age of 13.2 years (range 6.6-17.8) were analyzed. Malignant misdiagnoses were made in three patients. Thoracic/mediastinal tumors were found to be the primary in six patients, head/neck in four cases; one patient had multifocal tumor with an unknown primary. All patients presented with regional lymph node involvement, eight patients (72.7%) with distant metastases. Seven patients underwent surgery, eight radiotherapy with curative intent; polychemotherapy was administered in all patients. Novel treatment strategies including immunotherapy, targeted therapies, and virotherapy were applied in three patients. Median event-free survival and overall survival were 1.5 and 6.5 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Every undifferentiated or poorly differentiated carcinoma should undergo testing for the specific rearrangement of NUTM1, in order to initiate an intense therapeutic regimen as early as possible. As in adults, only few pediatric patients with NC achieve prolonged survival. Thus, novel therapeutic strategies should be included and tested in clinical trials.

Health-related quality of life and fear of progression in individuals with Li-Fraumeni syndrome.

Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is a rare autosomal dominant cancer predisposition syndrome associated with a highly elevated lifetime cancer risk. This and the recommended intense surveillance program represent a large psychological burden on families. In order to develop targeted psychosocial interventions, we conducted a needs assessment. Adults (≥18 years) with LFS were included via regular hospital visits and online support groups and newsletters. Individuals filled out a questionnaire addressing among others: fear of progression (FoP-questionnaire, short-form), health-related quality of life (HRQoL, Short-Form Health Survey-12), distress (National Comprehensive Cancer Network distress thermometer), perceived cancer risk, and aspects of surveillance adherence. Collecting data over a 14-month period (March 2020 - June 2021), 70 adults were recruited (female = 58, 82.9%; mean age = 41.53 years). With mean mental component scores (MCS) of 42.28 (SD = 10.79), and physical component scores (PCS) of 48.83 (SD = 10.46), HRQoL was low in 34.8% (physical) and 59.4% (mental) of individuals when applying a mean cut-off of 45.4 (PCS) and 47.5 (MCS) to indicate poor HRQoL. High levels of FoP and distress were present in 68.6% and 69.1% of the participants, respectively. Performing a multiple linear regression on MCS and PCS, no sociodemographic variable was shown to be significant. FoP (ß = -0.33, p < 0.05) and distress (ß = -0.34, p < 0.05) were significantly associated with MCS. Individuals in our sample were burdened more than expected, with the majority reporting low levels of (mental) HRQoL, high distress, and FoP. Psychosocial support is necessary to help individuals with LFS (survivors as well as "previvors") increase their HRQoL, as it is crucial to survival.

Germline biallelic BRCA2 pathogenic variants and medulloblastoma: an international cohort study.

Constitutional heterozygous pathogenic variants in genes coding for some components of the Fanconi anemia-BRCA signaling pathway, which repairs DNA interstrand crosslinks, represent risk factors for common cancers, including breast, ovarian, pancreatic and prostate cancer. A high cancer risk is also a main clinical feature in patients with Fanconi anemia (FA), a rare condition characterized by bone marrow failure, endocrine and physical abnormalities. The mainly recessive condition is caused by germline pathogenic variants in one of 21 FA-BRCA pathway genes. Among patients with FA, the highest cancer risks are observed in patients with biallelic pathogenic variants in BRCA2 or PALB2. These patients develop a range of embryonal tumors and leukemia during the first decade of life, however, little is known about specific clinical, genetic and pathologic features or toxicities. Here, we present genetic, clinical, pathological and treatment characteristics observed in an international cohort of eight patients with FA due to biallelic BRCA2 pathogenic variants and medulloblastoma (MB), an embryonal tumor of the cerebellum. Median age at MB diagnosis was 32.5 months (range 7-58 months). All patients with available data had sonic hedgehog-MB. Six patients received chemotherapy and one patient also received proton radiation treatment. No life-threatening toxicities were documented. Prognosis was poor and all patients died shortly after MB diagnosis (median survival time 4.5 months, range 0-21 months) due to MB or other neoplasms. In conclusion, MB in patients with biallelic BRCA2 pathogenic variants is a lethal disease. Future experimental treatments are necessary to help these patients.

Adult-Onset Cancer Predisposition Syndromes in Children and Adolescents-To Test or not to Test?

With the increasing use of comprehensive germline genetic testing of children and adolescents with cancer, it has become evident that pathogenic variants (PV) in adult-onset cancer predisposition genes (aoCPG) underlying adult-onset cancer predisposition syndromes, such as Lynch syndrome or hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, are enriched and reported in 1% to 2% of children and adolescents with cancer. However, the causal relationship between PVs in aoCPGs and childhood cancer is still under investigation. The best-studied examples include heterozygous PVs in mismatch repair genes associated with Lynch syndrome in children with mismatch repair deficient high-grade glioma, heterozygous PVs in BARD1 in childhood neuroblastoma, and heterozygous PVs in BRCA2 in children with rhabdomyosarcoma. The low penetrance for pediatric cancers is considered to result from a combination of the low baseline risk of cancer in childhood and the report of only a modest relative risk of disease in childhood. Therefore, we do not advise that healthy children empirically be tested for PVs in an aoCPG before adulthood outside a research study. However, germline panel testing is increasingly being performed in children and adolescents with cancer, and exome and genome sequencing may be offered more commonly in this population in the future. The precise pediatric cancer risks and spectra associated with PVs in aoCPGs, underlying cellular mechanisms and somatic mutational signatures, as well as treatment response, second neoplasm risks, and psycho-oncological aspects require further research.

Liver disease and transplantation in telomere biology disorders: An international multicenter cohort.

BACKGROUND: Patients with telomere biology disorders (TBD) develop hepatic disease, including hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatopulmonary syndrome. No specific treatment exists for TBD-related liver disease, and the role of liver transplantation (LT) remains controversial. Our study objectives were to describe the clinical characteristics, management, and outcomes in patients with TBD-related liver disease, and their LT outcomes. METHODS: Data from 83 patients with TBD-associated liver disease were obtained from 17 participating centers in the Clinical Care Consortium of Telomere-Associated Ailments and by self-report for our retrospective, multicenter, international cohort study. RESULTS: Group A ("Advanced") included 40 patients with advanced liver disease. Of these, 20 underwent LT (Group AT). Group M ("Mild") included 43 patients not warranting LT evaluation, none of whom were felt to be medically unfit for liver transplantation. Supplemental oxygen requirement, pulmonary arteriovenous malformation, hepatopulmonary syndrome, and higher bilirubin and international normalized ratio values were associated with Group A. Other demographics, clinical manifestations, and laboratory findings were similar between groups. Six group A patients were declined for LT; 3 died on the waitlist. Median follow-up post-LT was 2.9 years (range 0.6-13.2 y). One-year survival post-LT was 73%. Median survival post-LT has not been reached. Group AT patients had improved survival by age compared to all nontransplant patients (log-rank test p = 0.02). Of 14 patients with pretransplant hypoxemia, 8 (57%) had improved oxygenation after transplant. CONCLUSIONS: LT recipients with TBD do not exhibit excessive posttransplant mortality, and LT improved respiratory status in 57%. A TBD diagnosis should not exclude LT consideration.

Research on Rare Diseases in Germany - The cancer predisposition syndrome registry.

Background: Cancer predisposition syndromes (CPS) are rare diseases that are associated with an increased risk of cancer due to genetic alterations. At least 8 % of all cases of childhood cancer are attributable to CPS [1, 2]. The CPS registry was launched in 2017 to learn more about CPS and to improve the care to those afflicted by these diseases. Methods: This is an internationally networked registry with associated accompanying studies that investigate cancer risks and spectra, the possibilities of cancer prevention, early detection and therapy. Results: For several of these syndromes, new insights into the cancer risks and cancer types as well as factors modifying cancer risk have been gained. In addition, experimental, psycho-oncological, preclinical and clinical studies were initiated. Conclusions: The CPS registry is an example of how progress can be made within a short period of time to the benefit of individuals with rare diseases through systematic data collection and research.

Corrigendum to: Clinical spectrum and management of imprinting disorders.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1515/medgen-2020-2044.].