Cancer surveillance in adults with germline TP53 pathogenic variants: A single-center observational study.
Authors: Meyskens Thomas , Vandecaveye Vincent , Pans Steven , Dresen Raphaëla , Van Ongeval Chantal , Smeets Ann , Nevelsteen Ines , Neven Patrick , Wildiers Hans , Schoffski Patrick , Denayer Ellen , Van Buggenhout Griet , Michils Geneviève , Brems Hilde , Legius Eric , Punie Kevin 
Published: June 2021

10530

Background: Germline pathogenic variants (PV) in the tumor suppressor gene TP53 are associated with a high risk of developing diverse malignancies, often at young age, and predispose to Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS). Surveillance programs for presymptomatic PV carriers have shown survival benefit in a non-randomized trial. Here we describe the surveillance findings and clinical outcomes of adults with TP53 PV undergoing a standardized screening protocol. Methods: We identified adults with germline PV in TP53 who underwent surveillance at the University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium, between 04/2013 and 08/2020. Patients with prior cancer were allowed, while patients with an active malignancy requiring treatment at diagnosis of the TP53 PV were excluded. Surveillance was performed per modified Toronto protocol, including annual whole body diffusion-weighted MRI (WB-DWI/MRI), brain MRI, abdominal ultrasound (US), endoscopic surveillance, laboratory tests, dermatological examination and breast MRI/US in females. The primary aim was to evaluate the number and type of malignancies and premalignant lesions diagnosed during screening and to assess the proportion of malignancies detected by surveillance. Secondary outcomes were the cancer detection rate during the first year of screening, the proportion of carriers with false-positive findings, and overall survival. Results: We included 42 adults from 20 apparently unrelated families. Median age was 38y (range, 17-70y) and 23 had a history of prior cancer. After a median follow-up of 41.5mo, we diagnosed 18 cancers in 12/42 participants (29%). Overall survival was 95% in all participants, including 2 carriers who opted to discontinue surveillance. Surveillance detected 10/18 cancers (56%), the majority of whom through WB-DWI/MRI (6/10; 60%). No malignancies were identified with brain MRI. In 5/42 individuals (12%), surveillance detected a malignancy during the first year of screening. Only 2/10 cancers discovered with surveillance (1 soft tissue and 1 bone sarcoma) belong to the LFS core tumors. Cancers not detected with surveillance (8/18) were 6 non-melanoma skin cancers and 2 interval cancers (sarcoma post radiation, secondary acute leukemia). Additionally, we detected 27 premalignant lesions in 11/42 patients (26%), of whom 78% were diagnosed by colonoscopy. False-positive findings occurred in 7/42 patients (17%) and were mostly seen with WB-DWI/MRI. Conclusions: Adults with germline PV in TP53 that undergo surveillance have high cancer detection rates. The majority of malignancies were asymptomatic at diagnosis and detected with WB-DWI/MRI. Despite the high cancer incidence, few LFS core cancers were diagnosed and survival was encouraging. Increased genetic testing changes the clinical picture of germline TP53 carrier populations, justifying the transition from LFS to a wider concept of heritable TP53-related cancer syndrome.