Impact of BRCA mutation on the survival and risk of contralateral breast cancer in Asian breast cancer patients.

PURPOSE: Breast cancer is increasing around the globe, including Asia. We aimed to examine the survival and risk of contralateral breast cancer (CBC) in Asian breast cancer patients with BRCA mutations. METHODS: A total of 128 breast cancer patients with germline BRCA mutations and 4,754 control breast cancer patients were enrolled. Data on clinical-pathologic characteristics, survival, and CBC were collected from the medical record. The rates of survival and CBC were estimated by Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: The mean age of onset in BRCA mutation carriers was significantly younger than control patients (BRCA vs. Non-BRCA: 43.9 vs. 53.2 years old). BRCA mutation carriers had a higher proportion of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) (52%) than control patients (12%, p < 0.001). The risk of CBC was significantly higher in BRCA mutation patients than in control cases (hazard ratio (HR) = 3.95, 95% CI 2.71-5.75); when stratified by genotype, the HRs (95%CI) were 4.84 (3.00-7.82) for BRCA1 and 3.13 (1.78-5.49) for BRCA2 carriers, respectively. Moreover, BRCA1 mutation patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) as their first breast cancer had the highest risk of CBC (HR = 5.55, 95% CI 3.29-9.34). However, we did not observe any differences in relapse-free survival and overall survival between mutation carriers and control patients. CONCLUSION: Our study suggest that BRCA patients had a significantly higher risk of developing CBC, particularly for BRCA1 mutation carriers with TNBC as the first breast cancer.

Composite Scores of Plasma Tau and ß-Amyloids Correlate with Dementia in Down Syndrome.

Dementia frequently occurs in Down syndrome (DS) patients, and early intervention is important in its management. We have previously demonstrated a positive correlation of plasma ß-amyloid Aß42 levels and negative correlations of Aß40 and tau levels with dementia in DS. In this study, we examined more cases and constructed composite scores with both tau and amyloids to correlate with dementia in DS. Plasma Aß42, Aß40, and tau proteins were measured by an immunomagnetic reduction assay in DS patients. Data were randomly and repeatedly split into training and validating sets, and logistic regression was applied to calculate the area under the curve (AUC) for each biomarker. A total of 73 DS patients (among them, 23 had neurodegeneration) and 77 controls were recruited. In DS patients without dementia, plasma Aß40 and tau levels were highly elevated, but Aß42 levels were lower than those of the healthy controls. DS patients with dementia, compared with DS patients with no dementia, had a large decline in Aß40 and tau but a rise in Aß42. For biomarker scores correlating with dementia, Aß40 revealed an AUC of 0.912; the composite score of Aß40 × tau revealed an AUC of 0.953; and a combined composite score of 0.1 for Aß40 × Tau +0.9 Tau × Aß40/Aß42 achieved the highest AUC of 0.965. Therefore, composite biomarker scores including both plasma tau and ß-amyloid levels correlate with dementia in DS better than using individual biomarker scores. The pattern of tau decline and Aß42 rise in DS patients with dementia are also different from previous findings in Alzheimer's disease.

Multiple gene sequencing for risk assessment in patients with early-onset or familial breast cancer.

Since BRCA mutations are only responsible for 10-20% of cases of breast cancer in patients with early-onset or a family history and since next-generation sequencing technology allows the simultaneous sequencing of a large number of target genes, testing for multiple cancer-predisposing genes is now being considered, but its significance in clinical practice remains unclear. We then developed a sequencing panel containing 68 genes that had cancer risk association for patients with early-onset or familial breast cancer. A total of 133 patients were enrolled and 30 (22.6%) were found to carry germline deleterious mutations, 9 in BRCA1, 11 in BRCA2, 2 in RAD50, 2 in TP53 and one each in ATM, BRIP1, FANCI, MSH2, MUTYH, and RAD51C. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) was associated with the highest mutation rate (45.5%, p = 0.025). Seven of the 9 BRCA1 mutations and the single FANCI mutation were in the TNBC group; 9 of the 11 BRCA2, 1 of the 2 RAD50 as well as BRIP1, MSH2, MUTYH, and RAD51C mutations were in the hormone receptor (HR)(+)Her2(-) group, and the other RAD50, ATM, and TP53 mutations were in the HR(+)Her2(+) group. Mutation carriers were considered as high-risk to develop malignancy and advised to receive cancer screening. Screening protocols of non-BRCA genes were based on their biologic functions; for example, patients carrying RAD51C mutation received a screening protocol similar to that for BRCA, since BRCA and RAD51C are both involved in homologous recombination. In conclusion, we consider that multiple gene sequencing in cancer risk assessment is clinically valuable.

Promising outcomes in glutaric aciduria type I patients detected by newborn screening.

Glutaric aciduria type I (GA-I) is an inborn error of lysine and tryptophan metabolism. Clinical manifestations of GA-I include dystonic or dyskinetic cerebral palsy, but when the symptoms occur, treatment is not effective. In Taiwan, newborn screening for GA-I started in 2001; we wish to evaluate the outcomes of patients detected through newborn screening. Newborns diagnosed with GA-I by abnormal dried blood spot glutarylcarnitine (C5DC) levels followed in our hospital were included in this study. They were treated with special diets, carnitine supplements, and immediate stress avoidance. Six patients were included in this study. All patients were treated prior to reaching 1 month of age. They were followed up with for 4 to 9 years. One patient had encephalopathic crisis episodes prior to turning 1 year old that caused pallidal lesions. Another patient had a chronic progressive disease during infancy that caused bilateral putamen lesions. These two patients had delayed development, but their brain lesions were resolved. The other four patients ran uneventful courses. They had normal intelligenece, ranged between average to low average level and their brain magnetic resonance imaging showed only high intensity over deep white matter. Patients with GA-I diagnosed by newborn screening have promising outcomes, though the risks of disease progression prior to 1 year of age remain significant.

Multimodel assessment of BRCA1 mutations in Taiwanese (ethnic Chinese) women with early-onset, bilateral or familial breast cancer.

Although evidence suggests an importance of genetic factors in the development of breast cancer in Taiwanese (ethnic Chinese) women, including a high incidence of early-onset and secondary contralateral breast cancer, a major breast cancer predisposition gene, BRCA1, has not been well studied in this population. In fact, the carcinogenic impacts of many genetic variants of BRCA1 are unknown and classified as variants of uncertain significance (VUS). It is therefore important to establish a method to characterize the BRCA1 VUSs and understand their role in Taiwanese breast cancer patients. Accordingly, we developed a multimodel assessment strategy consisting of a prescreening portion and a validated functional assay to study breast cancer patients with early-onset, bilateral or familial breast cancer. We found germ-line BRCA1 mutations in 11.1% of our cohort and identified one novel missense mutation, c.5191C>A. Two genetic variants were initially classified as VUSs (c.1155C>T and c.5191C>A). c.1155C>T is not predicted to be deleterious in the prescreening portion of our assessment strategy. c.5191C>A, on the other hand, causes p.T1691K, which is predicted to have high deleterious probability because of significant structural alteration, a high deleterious score in the predictive programs and, clinically, triple negative characteristics in breast tumors. This mutant is confirmed by transcription activation and yeast growth-inhibition assays. In conclusion, we show as high a prevalence of germ-line BRCA1 mutation in high-risk Taiwanese patients as in Caucasians and demonstrate a useful strategy for studying BRCA1 VUSs.

Diagnoses of newborns and mothers with carnitine uptake defects through newborn screening.

Carnitine uptake defect (CUD) is an autosomal recessive fatty acid oxidation defect caused by a deficiency of the high-affinity carnitine transporter OCTN2. CUD patients may present with hypoketotic hypoglycemia, hepatic encephalopathy or dilated cardiomyopathy. Tandem mass spectrometry screening of newborns can detect CUD, although transplacental transport of free carnitine from the mother may cause a higher free carnitine level and cause false negatives during newborn screening. From Jan 2001 to July 2009, newborns were screened for low free carnitine levels at the National Taiwan University Hospital screening center. Confirmation tests included dried blood spot free acylcarnitine levels and mutation analyses for both babies and their mothers. Sixteen newborns had confirmation tests for persistent low free carnitine levels; four had CUD, six had mothers with CUD, and six cases were false positives. All babies born to mothers with CUD had transient carnitine deficiency. The six mothers with CUD were put on carnitine supplementation (50-100mg/kg/day). One mother had dilated cardiomyopathy at diagnosis and her cardiac function improved after treatment. Analysis of the SLC22A5 gene revealed that p.S467C was the most common mutation in mothers with CUD, while p.R254X was the most common mutation in newborns and children with CUD. Newborn screening allows for the detection of CUD both in newborns and mothers, with an incidence in newborns of one in 67,000 (95% CI: one in 31,600-512,000) and a prevalence in mothers of one in 33,000 (95% CI: one in 18,700-169,000). Detection of CUD in mothers may prevent them from developing dilated cardiomyopathy.

Pompe disease in infants: improving the prognosis by newborn screening and early treatment.

OBJECTIVE: Pompe disease causes progressive, debilitating, and often life-threatening musculoskeletal, respiratory, and cardiac symptoms. Favorable outcomes with early intravenous enzyme-replacement therapy and alglucosidase alfa have been reported, but early clinical diagnosis before the development of severe symptoms has rarely been possible in infants. METHODS: We recently conducted a newborn screening pilot program in Taiwan to improve the early detection of Pompe disease. Six of 206088 newborns screened tested positive and were treated for Pompe disease. Five had the rapidly progressive form of Pompe disease, characterized by cardiac and motor involvement, and were treated soon after diagnosis. The sixth patient was started on treatment at 14 months of age because of progressive muscle weakness. Outcomes were compared with treated patients whose disease was diagnosed clinically and with untreated historical control subjects. RESULTS: At the time of this report, patients had been treated for 14 to 32 months. The 5 infants who had early cardiac involvement demonstrated normalization of cardiac size and muscle pathology with normal physical growth and age-appropriate gains in motor development. The infant without cardiac involvement also achieved normal motor development with treatment. Survival in patients who had newborn screening was significantly improved compared with those in the untreated reference cohort (P = .001). Survival in the treated clinical comparators was reduced but not statistically different from that in the newborn screening group (P = .48). CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study indicate that early treatment can benefit infants with Pompe disease and highlight the advantages of early diagnosis, which can be achieved by newborn screening.

Newborn screening for Fabry disease in Taiwan reveals a high incidence of the later-onset GLA mutation c.936+919G>A (IVS4+919G>A).

Fabry disease (alpha-galactosidase A (alpha-Gal A, GLA) deficiency) is a panethnic inborn error of glycosphingolipid metabolism. Because optimal therapeutic outcomes depend on early intervention, a pilot program was designed to assess newborn screening for this disease in 171,977 consecutive Taiwanese newborns by measuring their dry blood spot (DBS) alpha-Gal A activities and beta-galactosidase/alpha-Gal A ratios. Of the 90,288 male screenees, 638 (0.7%) had DBS alpha-Gal A activity <30% of normal mean and/or activity ratios >10. A second DBS assay reduced these to 91 (0.1%). Of these, 11 (including twins) had <5% (Group-A), 64 had 5-30% (Group-B), and 11 had >30% (Group-C) of mean normal leukocyte alpha-Gal A activity. All 11 Group-A, 61 Group-B, and 1 Group-C males had GLA gene mutations. Surprisingly, 86% had the later-onset cryptic splice mutation c.936+919G>A (also called IVS4+919G>A). In contrast, screening 81,689 females detected two heterozygotes. The novel mutations were expressed in vitro, predicting their classical or later-onset phenotypes. Newborn screening identified a surprisingly high frequency of Taiwanese males with Fabry disease (approximately 1 in 1,250), 86% having the IVS4+919G>A mutation previously found in later-onset cardiac phenotype patients. Further studies of the IVS4 later-onset phenotype will determine its natural history and optimal timing for therapeutic intervention.

Brain damage by mild metabolic derangements in methylmalonic acidemia.

Methylmalonic acidemia caused by an l-methylmalonyl-CoA mutase deficiency. The mut(0) type is associated with significant mortality and morbidity, but tandem mass spectrometry has made early detection possible. Five patients were identified through newborn screening for elevated propionylcarnitine (C3-carnitine) levels. These patients received a positive screening result at a median age of 10 days (range, 5-18 days). When treated at a median age of 11 days (range, 3-50 days), 2 patients were asymptomatic, and only one was significantly acidotic (pH <7.2), but all had various degrees of hyperammonemia (range, 127-1,244 mumol/L). Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain was performed in 4 patients shortly after diagnosis, and the results were all abnormal. Four patients were followed. There was no further metabolic decompensation after the initial episodes, but their mean developmental quotient was only 50. These results suggest that early hyperammonemia can lead to significant brain damage in methylmalonic acidemia. Therefore, treatment of this disease in newborns must be more aggressive.

Early detection of Pompe disease by newborn screening is feasible: results from the Taiwan screening program.

OBJECTIVE: Pompe disease is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder that is caused by deficient acid alpha-glucosidase activity and results in progressive, debilitating, and often life-threatening symptoms involving the musculoskeletal, respiratory, and cardiac systems. Recently, enzyme replacement therapy with alglucosidase alpha has become possible, but the best outcomes in motor function have been achieved when treatment was initiated early. The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of screening newborns in Taiwan for Pompe disease by using a fluorometric enzymatic assay to determine acid alpha-glucosidase activity in dried blood spots. METHODS: We conducted a large-scale newborn screening pilot program between October 2005 and March 2007. The screening involved measuring acid alpha-glucosidase activity in dried blood spots of approximately 45% of newborns in Taiwan. The unscreened population was monitored as a control. RESULTS: Of the 132 538 newborns screened, 1093 (0.82%) repeat dried blood-spot samples were requested and retested, and 121 (0.091%) newborns were recalled for additional evaluation. Pompe disease was confirmed in 4 newborns. This number was similar to the number of infants who received a diagnosis of Pompe disease in the control group (n = 3); however, newborn screening resulted in an earlier diagnosis of Pompe disease: patients were <1 month old compared with 3 to 6 months old in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first large-scale study to show that newborn screening for Pompe disease is feasible. Newborn screening allows for earlier diagnosis of Pompe disease and, thus, for assessment of the value of an earlier start of treatment.

Early detection of glutaric aciduria type I by newborn screening in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Glutaric aciduria type 1 (GA1) is an inborn error of lysine and tryptophan metabolism. There is a lack of initial diagnostic signs of the disease, but late treatment often results in severe neurologic impairment. In this study, we analyzed the results of screening for GA1 in a Chinese population. METHODS: Dry blood spots were obtained at about 3 days of age from 357,307 newborns and tested for elevation of glutaryl (C5DC)-carnitine by tandem mass spectroscopy. A second sample of blood spots was required from those cases with abnormal elevation of C5DC-carnitine (higher than the cut-off value) (recall). If the results remained abnormal, those cases were referred for confirmation of the diagnosis and treatment. RESULTS: Between August 2001 and February 2005, there were 40 cases with C5DC-carnitine more than 0.13 microM (the cut-off value), from whom a second sample of blood spots was obtained (recall rate, 0.02%); two cases were confirmed to be affected by GA1. Because of the low positive prediction rate using this cut-off value, we elevated the cut-off value slightly. Between February 2005 and August 2006, there were eight cases with C5DC-carnitine more than 0.22 microM from whom a second sample of blood spots was obtained (recall rate, 0.01%); three cases were confirmed to be affected by GA1. All five cases with persistent elevation of C5DC-carnitine were referred and diagnosis was confirmed in each, giving an incidence of 1 in 71,461 newborns. There were no false negatives. Magnetic resonance imaging studies obtained from four cases showed frontotemporal atrophy at the time of diagnosis. Two cases were followed for over 1 year, and under treatment with dietary control and carnitine supplementation, both had normal development and neither exhibited a frank episode of encephalopathic crisis. CONCLUSION: With properly established cut-offs, GA1 can be successfully screened for in populations with a low incidence of the disease. Early treatment is likely to improve the outcome of cases discovered by screening.

Neonatal screening and monitoring system in Taiwan.

Neonatal screening in Taiwan started as a pilot program in 1981. The coverage rate increased to 90% in 1990, and is currently more than 99%. Five diseases are covered in the screening program including congenital hypothyroidism, phenylketonuria, homocystinuria, galactosemia, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. A monitoring system was established at the same time to ensure correct diagnosis and treatment for positive cases. Neonatal screening is not compulsory by law in Taiwan, but the government is very concerned about it. New tests for neonatal screening have recently been included as pilot programs. Parents of the newborns have to pay for these tests, for which informed consent has to be given. These additional tests include screening for congenital adrenal hyperplasia and tandem mass screening. The results of these pilot programs will be offered to the government for policy decision-making in the future.