Case 16: genetics Flashcards
Lynch management: MLH1 or MLH2
- Bowel cancer risk: 2 yearly colonoscopy screening, generally 25-75
- Gynaecological cancer risk: no screening. Hysterectomy with bilateral saplingo-oophorectomy after age 35 and once childbearing is complete
- Gastric cancer risk: H.pylori testing/eradication. Regular endoscopy screening not offered
- Symptom awareness: GI tract, gynae, urological
- Chemoprophylaxis: regular aspirin for at least 2 years
Lynch management: MSH6 or MPS2
- Bowel: 2 yearly colonoscopies aged 35-75 (review at 75). H.pylori screening
- Gynae: Hysterectomy alone >45 and once childbearing is complete
FAP
- Inherited mutations in the APC tumour suppressor gene: Autosomal dominant
- Hundreds of polyps form by 30-40
- Highly penetrant: majority of patient will develop colorectal cancer in middle age
- Causes large amount of polyps to grow in the bowel ‘adenomas’
- Classical FAP:1000s of colonic adenomas (100% risk of colorectal cancer)
- Attenuated FAP: 10-100 adenomas, not as penetrating. Can just offer long term colonic surveillance: colonoscopy 1-2 years
FAP: management and extracolonic features
- Extracolonic features: Gastric fundus polyps, Duodenal polyposis, CHRPE (retinal findings), desmoid tumours, jaw osteomas
- Prophylactic total proctocolectomy with ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) formation in their twenties.
- Annual sigmoidoscopy/colonoscopy from 10-12
Other rare single gene bowel cancer conditions
- MUTYH (Recessive mutations cause attenuated FAP like condition): lifelong colonoscopy follow up
- Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (STK11 gene) – perioral and digital hyperpigmentation; GI polyposis, other malignancy risk (breast and pancreatic). Dominant inheritance
- Juvenile Polyposis (e.g. SMAD4 gene) – GI polyposis, features of HHT (Hereditary Haemorrhagic Telengiectasia), internal organ bleeding and Telngiectasia’s with SMAD4. Dominant inheritance
Bowel cancer: risk FH
- If no single gene identified base recommendations on strength of family history
- Population: no strong fhx
- Moderate: one FDR <50, 2 FDR’s at any age. One off colonoscopy at 55
- High: 3 FDR’s, Lynch excluded. 5 yearly colonoscopy from 40
- Very high: single gene cause like Lynch or FAP. Disorder specific screening i.e. 2 yearly for Lynch syndrome or 1 year for attenuated FAP
Other colorectal genetics
- Retinoblastoma: germ line mutation in the retinoblastoma gene (Rb) predisposes to Retinoblastoma which occurs in childhood
- LI Fraumeni syndrome: a rare autosomal dominant condition. Due to a germline mutation in the p53 suppressor gene. Increases risk of sarcoma and cancer of the breast, brain and adrenal gland
Noonan syndrome
- An autosomal dominant condition due to a defect in a gene on chromosome 12
- Features similar to Turner’s: Webbed neck, widely spaced nipples, short stature, pectus carinatum and excavatum
- Due to a mutation in the PTPN11 gene
- Cardiac: pulmonary valve stenosis
- ptosis, wide set eyes
- triangular-shaped face
- low-set posteriorly rotated ears, broad forehead, down-slanting palpebral fissures, a high arched palate
- coagulation problems: factor XI deficiency
Noonan syndrome: associated conditions
- Congenital heart disease, particularly pulmonary valve stenosis,hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and ASD
- Cryptorchidism(undescended testes) can lead toinfertility. Fertility is normal in women.
- Learning disability
- Bleeding disorders (Thrombocytopaenia)
- Chest deformity (pectus excavatum), scoliosis, kidney deformity
- Lymphoedema
- Increased risk ofleukaemia and neuroblastoma
Definitions: Dysmorphology and Syndrome
Dysmorphology: the recognition and study of birth defects and syndrome
Syndrome: condition characterised by a set of associated symptoms with a known or assumed single aetiology.
Malformation definition
Morphological abnormality present at birth and of prenatal origin, it can involve a single organ or a body part and arises because of an abnormal developmental programme. A malformation is a structured birth defect. Fault in the genetic blueprint preventing the body from developing properly
Aims of dysmorphology
- diagnosis (to end uncertainty and unnecessary investigations, to allow better management and prevention of complications)
- prognosis
- recurrence risk
- family planning
Classifying structural defects
- Clinical impact: normal variant, minor, major
- Pathogenesis: Malformation, Deformation, Dysplasia, Disruption
- Recognizable patterns: syndrome, sequence, association
Classifying structural defects clinical impact- normal
Relatively frequent morphological characteristics with no medical/pathological impact. Normal variant i.e. 2-3 toe syndactyly (webbing of toes)
Classifying structural defects clinical impact- minor
- structural anomalies that don’t cause significant clinical disease, functional abnormality or cosmetic problem. No impact on life expectancy or QoL. Even if >1 doesn’t necessarily mean they have a syndrome
- head → scalp defect.
- ears → small, posteriorly rotated.
- face and neck → hyper-hypotelorism, cleft uvula, mild micrognathia,
- skin → sacral dimples, preauricular tags, single palmar crease.
- thorax/abdomen → supernumerary nipples, small hernias
- limbs → cubitus valgus, clinodactyly, large thumb
Classifying structural defects clinical major
- Structural anomaly causing significant clinical, functional or cosmetic problems
- Impact on life expectancy and/or quality of life
- For example: ectrodactyly (missing central finger and fusion of other fingers), spina bifida
Classifying structural defects pathogenesis- Malformation
- Morphologic abnormality that arises because of an abnormal developmental process- its a primary defect
- Bilateral cleft lip: non fusion of the maxillary prominence with the intermaxillary process
- Ectrodactyly: abnormal formation of hands and fingers with central fingers and fusion of other fingers
Classifying structural defects pathogenesis- deformation
- Distortion of normal structure by an external factor- secondary defect
- Amniotic bands
- Intrauterine constraint: lack of intrauterine space can consequent congenital deformation as club feet or facial asymmetry. For example, Bicornate uterus or lack of amniotic fluid (oligohydramnios)
- Amniotic bands: Limb or part of the foetus becomes tangled in a strand of amnion, can impair blood supply to the distal limb
Classifying structural defects pathogenesis- disruption
- Disruption: destruction of a tissue that was previously normal, normally due to impairment in blood supply- it is a secondary defect
- Interruption of a blood supply to a limb or muscle
- Poland sequence- absence of pec major and other muscles on one side due to interrupted blood supply
Classifying structural defects pathogenesis- Dysplasia
- Abnormal cellular organisation within a tissue resulting in structural changes/abnormal growth of a tissue: its a primary defect.
- Abnormal organisation within a cell line or group of cells causing it to function differently. Wont affect all tissue. For example, skeletal dysplasia
- Cartilage hair hypoplasia
- Achondroplasia (drawfism)