Abstract P5-09-05: Hereditary breast cancer beyond BRCA: Clinical and histopathological characteristics in patients with germline CHEK2, ATM, PALB2 and TP53-mutations
Authors: Hoste G , D'Hoore P , Legius E , Van Buggenhout G , Floris G , Wildiers H , Han SN , Van Nieuwenhuysen E , Berteloot P , Smeets A , Nevelsteen I , Weltens C , Janssen H , Van Limbergen E , Neven P , Punie K 
Published: May 2019

Background

The introduction of multi-gene panel testing in the diagnosis of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) has led to an important increase in the detection of breast cancer predisposition genes other than BRCA1 and BRCA2.

Methods

All individuals who underwent HBOC-testing at our institution since the introduction of multi-gene panel testing were included (March 2016-August 2017). In this retrospective analysis, the BRCA Hereditary Cancer MASTR Plus® panel is used (Multiplicom, Belgium), with sequencing of BARD1, BRCA1, BRCA2, BRIP1, RAD51C, RAD51D, TP53, MRE11A, RAD50, NBN, FAM175A, ATM, PALB2, STK11, MEN1, PTEN, CDH1, MUTYH, CHEK2, BLM, XRCC2, EPCAM, MLH1, MSH6, PMS2, MSH2.

In breast cancer patients with a recurrent germline alteration, age and TNM stage at diagnosis, histological subtype, grade of differentiation and molecular surrogate subtype were recorded. Given the low numbers of TP53-carriers diagnosed by HBOC testing, also patients with a germline TP53-mutation diagnosed by targeted sequencing at our institution were included. Statistical analysis were performed with SPSS version 25.

Results

In 11.9 % of 2806 patients who underwent panel testing, a germline pathogenic alteration was detected. BRCA1 and BRCA2 were the most prevalent alterations, detected in respectively 3.35 and 2.92 % of patients. Germline alterations in CHEK2, ATM , PALB2 and TP53 were detected in respectively 2.5 %, 1.1 %, 0.5 % and 0.1 %. In 1 % of patients, germline alterations were retrieved that only contribute to ovarian cancer risk (BRIP, RAD51C, RAD51D). Germline DNA mismatch repair alterations were detected in 0.39 % of patients.

The median age at onset of breast cancer in patients with germline CHEK2-, ATM-, PALB2- and TP53-mutations was 47, 53, 39 and 33 years respectively. The age of breast cancer diagnosis in patients with germline TP53-alterations was significantly younger compared to patients with CHEK2-mutations (p = 0.01), ATM-mutations (p = 0.01) and PALB2-mutations (p = 0.04). In situ carcinomas were diagnosed in respectively 9 %, 11 % and 11 % of patients with CHEK2-, PALB2- and TP53-mutations. Patients with CHEK2, ATM, PALB2 and TP53-alterations were diagnosed with ≥T3-tumors in respectively 13 %, 12 %, 33 % and 22 %. Nodal status at diagnosis was negative in 40-60 % in these 4 subgroups. Upfront metastatic disease was diagnosed only in 2/43 CHEK2-carriers. More than half of the breast cancer diagnoses were luminal tumors in CHEK2-, ATM- and PALB2-carriers, while cases with germline TP53-alterations only presented with luminal cancers in 22 % in our series.

Conclusion

Almost half of the pathogenic mutations detected in HBOC-genes are alterations in genes other than BRCA1 and BRCA2. CHEK2-mutations are by far the most prevalent, followed by ATM, PALB2 and TP53.

The range of the CHEK2- and ATM-population was wider then expected at the lower-age boundary. The age of breast cancer diagnosis in patients with germline TP53-mutations was significantly younger compared to patients with CHEK2-, ATM- and PALB2-mutations. The distribution of the histological subtypes and grade of differentiation was not suggestive of a specific correlation with germline mutation status.

Citation Format: Hoste G, D'Hoore P, Legius E, Van Buggenhout G, Floris G, Wildiers H, Han SN, Van Nieuwenhuysen E, Berteloot P, Smeets A, Nevelsteen I, Weltens C, Janssen H, Van Limbergen E, Neven P, Punie K. Hereditary breast cancer beyond BRCA: Clinical and histopathological characteristics in patients with germline CHEK2, ATM, PALB2 and TP53-mutations [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-09-05.