TP53 p.Arg337His geographic distribution correlates with adrenocortical tumor occurrence.

BACKGROUND: The p.Arg337His mutation of the TP53 is the most frequent germline missense variant associated with cancer described so far in this gene. It is mainly found in the South and Southeastern regions of Brazil, where it has been associated with a high incidence of pediatric adrenocortical (ACT) and choroid plexus tumors. The frequency and geographic distribution of this mutation is largely unknown, except for the Parana State, where a mean prevalence of 0.27% was reported. In the present study, we developed a high-throughput method for p.Arg337His genotyping, what allowed us to determine the frequency and geographic distribution of this mutation in a cohort from the most populous state in Brazil. METHODS: Consecutive samples from 31,612 newborns from São Paulo State were screened for p.Arg337His. The allelic discrimination was done by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the presence of haplotype A3 in carriers was examined by using allele-specific oligonucleotide PCR, followed by nested-PCR to detect the SNP rs9894946. RESULTS: We found 67 (0.21%) samples positive for this mutation. The highest p.Arg337His frequencies were found in the cities close to the boundary between São Paulo and Minas Gerais State. No association could be found between p.Arg337His and gender, ethnicity, premature birth or twinning. Remarkably, a trend was found between the geographic distribution of p.Arg337His carriers and occurrence of ACT. CONCLUSION: We presented for the first time the p.Arg337His frequency among individuals unselected for any disease from a subset of the São Paulo State, the most populous in Brazil. The allele discrimination assay we presented here has proven to be a reliable and efficient method for high-throughput genotyping. ACT was found to be a good sentinel cancer to suppose p.Arg337His presence in our region.

Adrenocortical tumors associated with the TP53 p. R337H germline mutation can be identified during child-care consultations / Tumores adrenocorticais associados à mutação germinativa TP53 p. R337H podem ser identificados durante as consultas de puericultura

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the clinical features associated with adrenocortical hormone overexpression and familial cancer profiling as potential markers for early detection of adrenocortical tumors in children from South and Southeast Brazil. Methods: The clinical manifestations and anthropometric measurements of 103 children diagnosed with adrenocortical tumors were analyzed. Results: Between 1982 and 2011, 69 girls and 34 boys diagnosed with adrenocortical tumors were followed-up for a median time of 9.0 years (0-34 years). Signs of androgen overproduction alone (n = 75) or associated with cortisol (n = 18) were present in 90.3%. TP53 p.R337H mutation was found in 90.5% of patients. Stages I, II, III, and IV were observed in 45.6%, 27.2%, 19.4%, and 7.8% of patients, respectively. At diagnosis, there were no significant differences in height (p = 0.92) and weight (p = 0.22) among children with adrenocortical tumors, but children with virilization alone had significantly higher height-for-age Z-scores (0.92 ± 1.4) than children with hypercortisolism alone or combined (−0.32 ± 1,8; p = 0.03). The five-year overall survival was 76.7% (SD ± 4.2). Patients with advanced-stage disease had a significantly worse prognosis than those with limited disease (p < 0.001). During follow-up, ten of 55 p.R337H carrier parents developed cancer, whereas none of the 55 non-carriers did. Conclusions: Signs of adrenocortical hormone overproduction appear early, even in cases with early-stage. These signs can be identified at the physical examination and anthropometric measurements. In southern Brazil, pediatric adrenocortical tumor is a sentinel cancer for detecting families with germline p.R337H mutation in TP53 gene.

Resumo Objetivo: Avaliar as manifestações clínicas da hiperexpressão de hormônios do córtex da adrenal e câncer familiar como marcadores para a detecção precoce de tumores adrenocorticais em crianças do Sul e Sudeste do Brasil. Pacientes e métodos: Foram analisadas as manifestações clínicas e antropométricas de 103 crianças diagnosticadas com tumores adrenocorticais. Resultados: Entre 1982 e 2011, 69 meninas e 34 meninos diagnosticados com tumores adrenocorticais foram acompanhados por um tempo mediano de nove anos (0-34). Ao diagnóstico, sinais de virilização isolada (n = 75) ou associada ao cortisol (n = 18) estavam presentes em 90,3% dos pacientes; a mutação do gene TP53 p.R337H foi identificada em 90,5% dos pacientes. Os pacientes foram classificados em estádio I (45,6%), II (27,2%), III (19,4%) e IV (7,8%). Ao diagnóstico, não houve diferença significativa para as medidas de altura (p = 0,92) e de peso (p = 0,22) entre as crianças com tumores adrenocorticais, mas crianças com virilização tiveram escore-Z mais elevado para a idade (0,92 ± 1,4) do que aquelas com hipercortisolismo isolado ou combinado (−0,32 ± 1,8; p = 0,03). A sobrevida global de cinco anos foi de 76,7% (DP ± 4,2). Pacientes com estádios avançados tiveram pior prognóstico (p < 0,001). Durante o seguimento, 10 dos 55 genitores portadores da p.R337H desenvolveram câncer, enquanto que nenhum caso ocorreu entre os 55 não portadores. Conclusões: Os sinais de hiperprodução de hormônios adrenocorticais aparecem precocemente no desenvolvimento do tumor e podem ser identificados pelo exame físico e pelas medidas antropométricas na consulta pediátrica de rotina. O tumor adrenocortical pediátrico é sentinela para a detecção de câncer em famílias que segregam a mutação germinativa p.R337H do gene TP53.

Adrenocortical tumors associated with the TP53 p.R337H germline mutation can be identified during child-care consultations.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical features associated with adrenocortical hormone overexpression and familial cancer profiling as potential markers for early detection of adrenocortical tumors in children from South and Southeast Brazil. METHODS: The clinical manifestations and anthropometric measurements of 103 children diagnosed with adrenocortical tumors were analyzed. RESULTS: Between 1982 and 2011, 69 girls and 34 boys diagnosed with adrenocortical tumors were followed-up for a median time of 9.0 years (0-34 years). Signs of androgen overproduction alone (n=75) or associated with cortisol (n=18) were present in 90.3%. TP53 p.R337H mutation was found in 90.5% of patients. Stages I, II, III, and IV were observed in 45.6%, 27.2%, 19.4%, and 7.8% of patients, respectively. At diagnosis, there were no significant differences in height (p=0.92) and weight (p=0.22) among children with adrenocortical tumors, but children with virilization alone had significantly higher height-for-age Z-scores (0.92±1.4) than children with hypercortisolism alone or combined (-0.32±1,8; p=0.03). The five-year overall survival was 76.7% (SD±4.2). Patients with advanced-stage disease had a significantly worse prognosis than those with limited disease (p<0.001). During follow-up, ten of 55 p.R337H carrier parents developed cancer, whereas none of the 55 non-carriers did. CONCLUSIONS: Signs of adrenocortical hormone overproduction appear early, even in cases with early-stage. These signs can be identified at the physical examination and anthropometric measurements. In southern Brazil, pediatric adrenocortical tumor is a sentinel cancer for detecting families with germline p.R337H mutation in TP53 gene.

Contribution of the TP53 R337H mutation to the cancer burden in southern Brazil: Insights from the study of 55 families of children with adrenocortical tumors.

BACKGROUND: The tumor protein p53 (TP53) arginine-to-histidine mutation at codon 337 (R337H) predisposes children to adrenocortical tumors (ACTs) and, rarely, to other childhood tumors, but its impact on adult cancer remains undetermined. The objective of this study was to investigate the frequency and types of cancer in relatives of children with ACT who carry the TP53 R337H mutation. METHODS: TP53 R337H testing was offered to relatives of probands with ACT. The parental lineage segregating the R337H mutation was identified in all families. The frequency and distribution of cancer types were compared according to R337H status. The authors' data also were compared with those publicly available for children with TP53 mutations other than R337H. RESULTS: The mean and median follow-up times for the probands with ACT were 11.2 years and 9.7 years (range, 3-32 years), respectively. During this time, cancer was diagnosed in 12 of 81 first-degree relatives (14.8%) carrying the R337H mutation but in only 1 of 94 noncarriers (1.1%; P = .0022). At age 45 years, the cumulative risk of cancer was 21% (95% confidence interval, 5%-33%) in carriers and 2% (95% confidence interval, 0%-4%) in noncarriers (P = .008). The frequency of cancer was higher in the R337H segregating lineages than in the nonsegregating lineages (249 of 1410 vs 66 of 984 individuals; P < .001). Breast and gastric cancer were the most common types. CONCLUSIONS: TP53 R337H carriers have a lifelong predisposition to cancer with a bimodal age distribution: 1 peak, represented by ACT, occurs in the first decade of life, and another peak of diverse cancer types occurs in the fifth decade. The current findings have implications for genetic counseling and surveillance of R337H carriers. Cancer 2017;123:3150-58. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Shorter Maintenance Therapy in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: The Experience of the Prospective, Randomized Brazilian GBTLI ALL-93 Protocol.

AIM: Maintenance therapy is an important phase of the childhood ALL treatment, requiring 2-year long therapy adherence of the patients and families. Weekly methotrexate with daily 6-mercaptopurine (6MP) constitutes the backbone of maintenance therapy. Reduction in the maintenance therapy could overweight problems related with poverty of children with ALL living in limited-income countries (LIC). OBJECTIVE: To compare, prospectively, the EFS rates of children with ALL treated according to two maintenance regimens: 18 vs. 24 months duration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From October 1993 to September 1999, 867 consecutive untreated ALL patients <18 years of age were treated according to the Brazilian Cooperative Group for Childhood ALL Treatment (GBTLI) ALL-93 protocol. Risk classification was based exclusively on patient's age and leukocyte count (NCI risk group) and clinical extra medullary involvement of the disease. Data were analyzed by the intention-to-treat approach. RESULTS: Fourteen patients (1.6%) were excluded: wrong diagnosis (n = 7) and previous corticosteroid (n = 7). Of the 853 eligible patients, 421 were randomly allocated, at study enrollment, to receive 18-month (group 1) and 432 to receive 24-month (group 2) maintenance therapy. Complete remission rate was achieved in 96% of the patients (817/853). Twenty-eight patients (3.4%) died during the induction phase. Thirty-four patients (4.0%) were lost to follow-up. The overall EFS was 66.1 ± 1.7% at 15 years. No difference was seen according to maintenance: EFS15y was 65.8 ± 2.3% (group 1) and 66.3 ± 2.3% (group 2; p = 0.79). No difference between regimens was detected after stratifying the analyses according to factors associated with adverse prognosis in this study (age group <1 year or >10 years and high WBC at diagnosis). Overall death in remission rate was 6.85% (56 patients). Deaths during maintenance were 13 in group 1 and 12 in group 2, all due to infection. Over 15 years of follow-up, two patients both from group 2 presented a second malignancy (Hodgkin's disease and thyroid carcinoma) after 8.3 and 11 years off therapy, respectively. CONCLUSION: Six-month reduction of maintenance therapy in ALL children treated according to the GBTLI ALL-93 protocol provided the same overall outcome as 2-year duration regimen.

Sonic hedgehog signaling is active in human adrenal cortex development and deregulated in adrenocortical tumors.

BACKGROUND: The sonic hedgehog (SHH) pathway plays a key role in rodent adrenal cortex development and is involved in tumorigenesis in several human tissues, but data in human adrenal glands are limited. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the study were to analyze the involvement of the SHH pathway in human adrenal development and tumorigenesis and the effects of SHH inhibition on an adrenocortical tumor (ACT) cell line. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Expression of SHH pathway components was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 51 normal adrenals (33 fetal) and 34 ACTs (23 pediatric) and by quantitative PCR in 81 ACTs (61 pediatric) and 19 controls (10 pediatric). The effects of SHH pathway inhibition on gene expression and cell viability in the NCI-H295A adrenocortical tumor cell line after cyclopamine treatment were analyzed. RESULTS: SHH pathway proteins were present in fetal and postnatal normal adrenals and showed distinct patterns of spatiotemporal expression throughout development. Adult adrenocortical carcinomas presented with higher expression of PTCH1, SMO, GLI3, and SUFU compared with normal adult adrenal cortices. Conversely, pediatric ACTs showed lower mRNA expression of SHH, PTCH1, SMO, GLI1, and GLI3 compared with normal pediatric adrenal cortices. In vitro treatment with cyclopamine resulted in decreased GLI3, SFRP1, and CTNNB1 mRNA expression and ß-catenin staining as well as decreased cell viability. CONCLUSIONS: The SHH pathway is active in human fetal and postnatal adrenals, up-regulated in adult adrenocortical carcinomas, and down-regulated in pediatric ACTs. SHH pathway antagonism impaired cell viability. The SHH pathway is deregulated in ACTs and might provide a new target therapy to be explored.

Altered expression of noncanonical Wnt pathway genes in paediatric and adult adrenocortical tumours.

CONTEXT: The role of planar cell polarity (Wnt/PCP) and calcium-dependent (Wnt/Ca) noncanonical Wnt pathways in adrenocortical tumours (ACTs) is unknown. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the gene expression of Wnt/PCP and Wnt/Ca pathways and its association with TP53 p.R337H and CTNNB1 mutations in paediatric and adult ACTs and to correlate these findings with clinical outcome. PATIENTS: Expression of noncanonical Wnt-related genes was evaluated in 91 ACTs (66 children and 25 adults) by qPCR and the expression of beta-catenin, P53 and protein effectors of Wnt/Ca (NFAT) and Wnt/PCP (JNK) by immunohistochemistry. TP53 and CTNNB1 genes were sequenced. RESULTS: TP53 p.R337H mutation frequency was higher in children (86% vs 28%), while CTNNB1 mutation was higher in adults (32% vs 6%). Mortality was higher in adults harbouring TP53 p.R337H and in children with CTNNB1 mutations. Overexpression of WNT5A, Wnt/Ca ligand, was observed in children and adults. Overexpression of MAPK8 and underexpression of PRICKLE, Wnt/PCP mediators, were observed in paediatric but not in adult cases. Cytoplasmic/nuclear beta-catenin and P53 accumulation was observed in the majority of paediatric and adult ACTs as well as NFAT and JNK. Overexpression of MAPK8 and underexpression of PRICKLE were associated with mortality in children, while overexpression of WNT5A and underexpression of PRICKLE were associated with mortality in adults. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, TP53 p.R337H and CTNNB1 mutations correlated with poor prognosis in adults and children, respectively. We demonstrate, for the first time, the activation of Wnt/PCP and Wnt/Ca noncanonical pathway genes, and their association with poor outcome in children and adults, suggesting their putative involvement in ACTs aggressiveness.