Combined molecular and clinical approach for decision making for surgery in HNPCC patients: a report on three cases in two families

Prophylactic Risk-reducing Hysterectomies and Bilateral Salpingo-oophorectomies in Patients With Lynch Syndrome: A Clinicopathologic Study of 29 Cases and Review of the Literature

Lynch syndrome (LS) is associated with an increased risk for colorectal, endometrial, and ovarian carcinomas in women. Risk-reducing hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (RRHSO) has been shown to be a cost-effective form of management and prevention of gynecological malignancies in patients with LS. Studies of incidental gynecologic malignancies identified in RRHSO are limited. In addition, recommendations on optimal handling of this type of specimen have ranged from submitting for microscopic examination the entire endometrium, fallopian tubes and ovaries to submitting only routine representative sections of these organs. In this study, we present the clinicopathologic findings of 29 cases of LS patients that underwent risk-reducing gynecologic surgery at our institution over a period of 13 yr. Clinical-pathologic information was obtained from the patients' charts and pathology reports. Significant pathologic abnormalities were identified in 17% (5/29) of cases, all showing endometrial hyperplasia. Four of them with atypical and 1 without atypical. All of our cases with endometrial pathology had significant findings on preoperative endometrial sampling. To further study the recommendation of in toto submission of the endometrium, ovaries and fallopian tubes and the utility of preoperative endometrial sampling, we undertook a literature review of all the reported cases of incidental pathologic findings identified in RRHSO. The findings of our cohort and the literature reviewed support in toto submission of endometrium, and adnexal structures in the absence of gross lesions. In addition, our findings show a definite benefit for preoperative endometrial sampling as part of the workup for LS patients undergoing RRHSO.

Utility of endometrial sampling prior to risk-reducing hysterectomy in a patient with Lynch syndrome

Occult endometrial cancer is occasionally discovered in women with Lynch syndrome undergoing risk-reducing hysterectomy. The case presented here demonstrates that preoperative endometrial sampling can help detect these occult cancers; however, there are currently no recommendations for this preoperative intervention. A 50-year-old woman with Lynch syndrome underwent endometrial sampling prior to planned risk-reducing hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. The endometrial biopsy demonstrated a serous endometrial cancer. The patient was counselled regarding the diagnosis and revised operative plan, which now included staging, prior to surgery. Although the prevalence of occult endometrial cancer at the time of risk-reducing surgery in women with Lynch syndrome remains unknown, preoperative endometrial sampling may allow for improved patient counselling and surgical planning in this population, and can help avoid a subsequent surgery for staging.

[Inherited tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. Diagnosis and therapeutic aspects]

Familial tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, which often appear as autosomal-dominantly inherited tumor syndromes, account for only a small proportion of all gastrointestinal tumors. With the opportunities of modern molecular diagnostics, identifying the pathogenic mutation in families is often possible, with the option of predictive molecular testing and differentiation between mutation carriers and noncarriers. Thus a good chance exists for detection of early tumor stages by individually tailored surveillance programs and for improving prognosis by early intervention and prophylactic resection. Clinical manifestation, molecular basis at the root, individual surveillance programs, and their consequences for the treatment of familial gastric cancer, familial adenomatous polyposis coli, hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, juvenile polyposis, hyperplastic polyposis, and familial pancreatic cancer are presented.

Laparoscopic Prophylactic Oophorectomy Plus N3 Lymphadenectomy for Advanced Rectosigmoid Cancer

BACKGROUND

The primary aim of the present retrospective study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of laparoscopic prophylactic oophorectomy plus N3 lymph node dissection for patients with rectosigmoid cancer. The secondary aim was to explore the clinicopathologic features of ovarian micrometastasis from rectosigmoid cancer.

METHODS

We performed 244 laparoscopic resections of rectosigmoid cancer in women during a 6-year period. In them, 34 patients (13.9%) were subjected to prophylactic oophorectomy plus N3 lymphadenectomy in addition to the standard anterior or low anterior resection of rectosigmoid cancer, because the patients presented with ovarian cystic lesions, tethering of the ovary to the primary rectosigmoid tumor, and/or pelvic ascites accumulation, which were postulated as the indicative findings for the synchronous ovarian micrometastasis. The surgical procedures are detailed in the attached video. The surgical outcomes were compared between patients with (n = 34) and without (n = 210) these two additional procedures. In analyzing the clinicopathologic features of ovarian micrometastasis, we included both cases of laparoscopic (n = 34) and traditional open surgery (n = 30), whose prophylactic oophorectomy was performed by the same surgical indications.

RESULTS

Although the operation time was significantly longer (264.2 +/- 24.5 vs. 192.5 +/- 24.2 minutes, P < .0001) in patients with prophylactic oophorectomy and N3 lymphadenectomy, there was no significant difference between patients with and without the two additional procedures in blood loss, wound length, postoperative complications, diverting ileostomy, and mortality. Although flatus passage, hospitalization, postoperative pain, and return to partial activity were statistically different between the study groups, they were deemed clinically unimportant because the difference of mean was very small. Foley removal was delayed in patients with N3 lymphadenectomy by 2 days. With respect to surgical efficacy, we found that patients undergoing the two additional procedures could collect significantly more lymph nodes (22.0 +/- 4.0 vs. 14.4 +/- 2.4, P < .0001) for pathologic staging and facilitated upstaging of nodal status in three patients (8.8%). Patients undergoing prophylactic oophorectomy plus N3 lymphadenectomy could achieve good oncologic outcome, with the estimated 5-year survival rate of 62.5% and 69.2% in patients with and without ovarian micrometastasis, respectively. Clinicopathologically, patients with ovarian micrometastasis (n = 15) tended to have vascular invasion of tumor cells, as compared with those without (n = 49). However, ovarian micrometastasis was not related to menstrual status of patients, tumor location, tumor size, morphology, differentiation, mucin production, T stage, nodal invasion, and level of carcinoembryonic antigen.

CONCLUSIONS

Laparoscopic surgical techniques could be safely applied to perform prophylactic oophorectomy plus N3 lymphadenectomy with acceptable efficacy in a highly selected subset of patients with rectosigmoid cancer.

Occult endometrial cancer and decision making for prophylactic hysterectomy in hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer patients

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) is the most frequent form of hereditary colorectal cancer. In addition to the high lifetime risk for colorectal cancer in mutation carriers, there is also a remarkably increased risk for endometrial cancer (EC).

METHODS

In this retrospective study, clinical and molecular approach to the individual decision making as to whether or not to perform a prophylactic hysterectomy in a subset of HNPCC patients is discussed. 147 female patients meeting at least one criterion of the Bethesda guidelines were included in this analysis between 1995 and 2003. After clinical and genetic counseling, patients gave informed written consent and microsatellite analysis, immunohistochemistry and sequencing of the mismatch repair genes MLH1, MSH2 and MSH6 was performed.

RESULTS

11 of the analyzed patients had a personal history of EC and had undergone previous hysterectomy at ages 26 to 62 years. Prophylactic hysterectomy with oophorectomy was considered in postmenopausal women meeting the Amsterdam criteria and/or carrying a disease causing mismatch repair gene mutation who were operated on because of diagnosed colorectal cancer in our center for hereditary cancer. This procedure was performed in 4 patients. None of them had shown any symptoms of a gynecologic malignancy. Preoperative gynecological examination showed no evidence for EC or ovarian cancer in these patients. Postoperative histological examination showed EC stage T1b N0 M0 in 2 patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Since the efficiency of gynecological surveillance is uncertain, prophylactic hysterectomy could be an option for a subset of HNPCC patients and mutation carriers.

Lower incidence of colorectal cancer and later age of disease onset in 27 families with pathogenic MSH6 germline mutations compared with families with MLH1 or MSH2 mutations: the German Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer Consortium

PURPOSE

The aim of the study was the analysis of the involvement and phenotypic manifestations of MSH6 germline mutations in families suspected of hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients were preselected among 706 families by microsatellite instability, immunohistochemistry, and/or exclusion of MLH1 or MSH2 mutations and were subjected to MSH6 mutation analysis. Clinical and molecular data of MSH6 mutation families were compared with data from families with MLH1 and MSH2 mutations.

RESULTS

We identified 27 families with 24 different pathogenic MSH6 germline mutations, representing 3.8% of the total of the families, and 14.7% of all families with DNA mismatch repair (MMR) gene mutations (n = 183). The median age of onset of colorectal cancer in putative mutation carriers was 10 years higher for MSH6 (54 years; 95% CI, 51 to 56) compared with MLH1 and MSH2 (44 years; 95% CI, 43 to 45; log-rank test, P = .0038). Relative to other malignant tumors, colorectal cancer was less frequent in MSH6 families compared with MLH1 and MSH2 families (Fisher's exact test, P < .001). In contrast, the frequency of non-HNPCC-associated tumors was increased (Fisher's exact test, P < .001).

CONCLUSION

Later age of disease onset and lower incidence of colorectal cancer may contribute to a lower proportion of identified MSH6 mutations in families suspected of HNPCC. However, in approximately half of these families, at least one patient developed colorectal or endometrial cancer in the fourth decade of life. Therefore, a surveillance program as stringent as that for families with MLH1 or MSH2 mutations is recommended.

Prophylactic bilateral nephrectomies in two paediatric patients with missense mutations in the WT1 gene

BACKGROUND

Denys-Drash syndrome (DDS) is associated with mutations of the Wilms' tumour 1 (WT1) gene, and is characterized by pseudohermaphroditism, a progressive glomerulopathy, and the development of Wilms' tumour. More than 90% of patients with DDS who carry constitutional intragenic WT1 mutations are at high risk (90%) for the development of Wilms' tumour. WT1 is a signalling protein with 90% of WT1 mutations occurring in the WT1 zinc finger region as single nucleotide polymorphisms, the majority of which are missense mutations.

METHODS

Constitutional DNA was extracted from peripheral blood. Direct sequencing and restriction enzymes were employed to analyse mutations.

RESULTS

Two children, 46XY males who had evidence of pseudohermaphroditism, hypogonadism and renal failure with a glomerulopathy atypical for DDS, but no Wilms' tumour or nephroblastomatosis, on investigation, prior to transplant, were identified with missense mutations in the WT1 gene, in exons 8 and 9, respectively. The decision to do prophylactic nephrectomies was based on the genetic identification of WT1 mutations supporting a diagnosis of incomplete DDS, with the potential for increased risk of malignancy with the development of Wilms' tumour. The nephrectomy specimens demonstrated nephrogenic rests (nephroblastomatosis), which have a potential for malignant transformation.

CONCLUSIONS

WT1 missense mutations in exons 8 and 9 can be regarded as having the potential for malignant change supporting prophylactic nephrectomy in apparent incomplete DDS patients with end-stage renal disease.

Hereditary polyposis syndromes and hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer due to hereditary syndromes comprises approximately 5% of the overall colorectal cancer burden. Conditions fall into two distinct categories, the polyposis syndromes and hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer. It is important for the clinician to have a working knowledge of both as screening and surveillance recommendations differ significantly from those applicable to the general population. The polyposis syndromes include familial adenomatous polyposis, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, juvenile polyposis, and Cowden syndrome. For each condition, a review of both the intestinal and extra-intestinal clinical findings is presented as well as the genetic basis, genetic testing, screening, surveillance and treatment options. As genetic testing for several of these conditions has recently become both commercially available and standard practice, special attention is given to indications and strategies for genetic testing in hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes.

Analysis for phenotype of HNPCC in China

AIM: The aims of this study were to identify the clinicopathological features of Chinese HNPCC families and to evaluate the value of criteria for suspected HNPCC (sHNPCC) in clinical diagnosis.

METHODS: According to the follow-up records, 54 HNPCC families (including 12 ICG-HNPCC families and 42 sHNPCC families) were screened out from patients with colorectal cancers (CRCs), operated upon in 2^nd Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University from 1984 to 2001. Clinical data of probands and tumor spectrum in these families were listed and analyzed.

RESULTS: (1) Mean age, proportion of colonic cancer, poorly differentiated cancer, multiple CRCs and Dukes’ A+B of the probands in ICG-HNPCC and sHNPCC kindred were 39 ys and 47.5 ys, 75% and 62%, 0 and 12.8%, 16.7% and 14.3%, 58.3% and 81%, respectively. Compared with sporadic colorectal cancers, probands from ICG-HNPCC and sHNPCC families were obviously different at age of onset (P = 0.025 and 0.031), tumor location (P = 0.001 and 0.000), differentiation (P = 0.002 and 0.011) and development of multiple tumors (P = 0.014 and 0.002). (2) A total of 178 malignant neoplasms were found in 54 HNPCC families, including 139 colorectal cancers. Besides of colorectal cancer, extracolonic tumors occurred in stomach, endometrium, hepatobiliary system, and so on (8 gastric cancers, 6 endometrial cancers, 6 hepatobiliary system cancers and 19 others) can also be seen in Chinese ICG-HNPCC and sHNPCC families.

CONCLUSION: (1) Chinese HNPCC families have specific clinicopathological features, such as early onset, predilection for the involvement of colon, tendency of multiple CRCs, development of extracolonic tumors and well differentiation. (2) The criteria for suspected HNPCC is useful in clinical diagnosis and management of HNPCC.