Introduction:
Germinal mutation (patogenic or likely patogenic variant) in one of the tumor-supressor gens BRCA1 or BRCA2 confers hereditary predisposition for certain cancers, which in women means high risk of breast and/or ovarian cancer. When both cancers appear in the same person, in a synchronous or metachronous way, such a situation is called double primary breast and ovarian cancer (DPBOC). In such a case, the probability of BRCA1/2 mutation is much higher. Therefore DPBOC is an indication for genetic counselling and testing, which is according to ASCO guidelines indicated when the probability of mutation exceeds 10%. Initial calculations (Berry 1997) and results of the first, small studies were indicating that the frequency of BRCA1/2 mutations among DPBOC patients is as high as 87-100%. Even solitary development of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), with negative family history, has a probability of BRCA1/2 germinal mutation of up to 17%, according to the most recently published studies. When EOC develops before the age of 50 years, the probability of germinal BRCA1/2 mutation is as high as 23%. Nonetheless, at the beginning of our study solitary EOC was not an indication for genetic counselling in Slovenia. Some of the authors at that time have already been putting attention also to therapeutic benefit of early-known BRCA1/2 status in patients with EOC, because of different chemosensitivity of tumors and because of promising results of PARP inhibitors clinical trials. Whether patients with DPBOC and with solitary EOC before 45 (50) years of age have the same disease when BRCA1/2 mutation is present or absent, is not resolved yet, because the differences in clinico-pathologic characteristics have not been completely analysed yet.
Aims:
The aims of our study were to determine the frequency of germinal BRCA1/2 mutations in patients (I) with DPBOC (II) with EOC before 45 years of age, and to compare clinico-pathologic characteristics of the groups of patients with BRCA1/2 mutation and without BRCA1/2 mutation.
Hypotheses:
1. DPBOC is frequently caused by germinal BRCA1/2 mutation.
2. BRCA1/2 positive and BRCA1/2 negative subgroup of patients with DPBOC differ regarding family history and regarding clinico-pathologic characteristics.
3. Frequency of germinal BRCA1/2 mutations in patients with EOC before 45 years of age in Slovenia is higher than 10 %.
4. BRCA1/2 positive and BRCA1/2 negative groups of the patients with EOC before 45 years of age differ regarding clinico-pathologic characteristics.
Patients and methods:
Ad I. The study of BRCA1/2 status and clinico-pathologic characteristics of patients with DPBOC was a retrospective analysis of genetic and clinico-pathologic data of patients with DPBOC, tested at
Cancer Genetic Clinic, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, during the period 2002-2008. These results were compared to analysis of clinico-pathologic data of a larger group of untested patients with DPBOC.
Twenty patients with DPBOC responded to the invitation of Cancer Genetic Clinic and were included in the study (additional 32 patients did not respond). The control group consisted of 51 patients with DPBOC who were not tested for BRCA1/2 mutation.
Ad II: The study of genetic testing, BRCA1/2 status and clinico-pathologic characteristics of patients with EOC before 45 (50) years of age was a prospective study, registrated and performed at the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana during the years 2012-2015. We invited to Cancer Genetic Clinic all eligible alive patients who had been diagnosed with EOC before 45 years of age during the period 1999-2008 and had been treated at the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana. Out of 51 invited patients, 22 patients responded in a positive way and participated in the study. Together with additional 5 patients who were eligible and were found to have been already tested, there were 27 patients included in the study group. Mutation screening included complete analysis of all exons of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Additionally, patients with EOC at the age of 45-49 years, diagnosed in the period 1999-2010 and treated at the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana and counselled and tested at Cancer Genetic Clinic we also included.
Results:
Ad I: There was 60% rate of germinal BRCA1/2 mutations in tested patients with DPBOC (12/20). Among positive patients, 75% (9) were BRCA1 positive and 25% (3) were BRCA2 positive.
A trend of higher rate of family history of breast cancer in first degree relatives was found in BRCA1/2 positive group.
No significant differences were found regarding the age at the diagnosis of the first cancer, the stage of EOC and the histotype of EOC. Higher rate of high-grade EOC was found in BRCA1/2 positive group. Higher rate of multiple primary breast cancer was found in BRCA1/2 positive group.
There was no significant difference in survival between BRCA1/2 positive and BRCA1/2 negative group of DPBOC patients. Tested group had a significantly longer survival than untested group of patients with DPBOC .
Ad II:
Compliance rate of patients with EOC invited to Cancer Genetic Clinics was 43,1%.
BRCA1/2 mutations were found in 18,5% of tested patients with EOC before 45 years of age (5/27). There were 4 BRCA1 mutations and 1 BRCA2 mutation.
In the extended group of 42 tested patients with EOC before 50 years age, 14 BRCA1/2 mutations were found (33,3% mutation rate). There were 11 BRCA1 mutations and 3 BRCA2 mutations.
Higher rate of positive family history of ovarian cancer in first degree relatives was found in BRCA1/2 positive group.
Age at the diagnosis of EOC was significantly higher in BRCA1/2 positive patients. Nevertheless, BRCA1/2 mutation was found in EOC patient aged only 24 years.
Rate of EOC as a second primary cancer was higher in BRCA1/2 positive group of EOC patients.
There was a marginally significant higher rate of stage I EOC in BRCA1/2 negative group (60,7% vs. 26,7%; p=0,055).
Regarding histotype of EOC no significant differences between groups were found. Serous-type EOC rate was nearly equal in both groups (40% in BRCA1/2 positive vs. 46% in negative group).
There was a higher rate of high-grade (G2 and G3) EOC in BRCA1/2 positive group (66,7 % vs. 21,4%; p=0,008). Nevertheless, a case of borderline or LMP (low-malignant-potential) epithelial ovarian tumor was found in BRCA1/2 positive group.
Conclusions:
Ad I. Patients with DPBOC carry germinal BRCA1/2 mutation in 60%.
BRCA1/2 positive DPBOC group had a higher grade EOC and a higher rate of multiple primary breast cancer.
AD II. Patients with EOC before 45 years age carry germinal BRCA1/2 mutation in 18,5% and therefore they fulfill criteria for predictive genetic testing. Together with direct therapeuthic benefit of testing because of possible application of PARP inhibitors to BRCA1/2 positive EOC patients, there exists a double reason for genetic testing (and not only counselling) for all patients with EOC before 50 years age.
BRCA1/2 positive patients with EOC before 50 years age had EOC of higher grade and of higher stage.
Almost half of BRCA1/2 positive patients with EOC before 50 years age had endometrioid histotype diagnosed. It's important to consider the year of diagnose, because high-grade endometrioid type EOC, on the basis of recent molecular analyses, more and more often is reclassified in high-grade serous type, and this may change therapeutic possibilities regarding treatment with PARP inhibitors.
There are also other EOC hystotypes possible. Therefore all patients with EOC before 50 years age, and not only those with HGSC, should have access to BRCA1/2 genetic testing.
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