Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020 Aug 19:11:991.
doi: 10.3389/fgene.2020.00991. eCollection 2020.

Comparison of Molecular, Clinicopathological, and Pedigree Differences Between Lynch-Like and Lynch Syndromes

Affiliations

Comparison of Molecular, Clinicopathological, and Pedigree Differences Between Lynch-Like and Lynch Syndromes

Yun Xu et al. Front Genet. .

Abstract

In this study, we compared the molecular, clinical, and pathological characteristics, as well as pedigrees, between patients with Lynch-like syndrome (LLS) and confirmed Lynch syndrome (LS) to develop appropriate management strategies for patients with LLS and their affected family members. Between June 2008 and September 2018, 81 patients with LLS and 47 patients with LS who developed colorectal cancer (CRC) were enrolled in this study. Multigene panel testing included 139 genes and was performed for all patients. The variants identified in each group were described, and clinicopathological characteristics and pedigrees were compared between the two groups. In the LLS group, a total of 52 variants were detected in 44 (54.3%) patients. Among the 52 variants, 17 were variants of unknown significance in mismatch repair genes, and the other most frequently mutated genes were MUYTH, POLE, BRCA2, and GJB2. The proportion of early-onset patients was significantly higher among the LS probands than among the LLS probands (74.5 and 53.1%, respectively; χ2 = 5.712, P = 0.017). On the other hand, the proportion of primary CRC developed in the rectum was higher in the LLS group than in the LS group (25.9 and 10.6%, respectively; χ2 = 2.358, P = 0.046). There were no significant differences in the occurrence of metachronous CRC (P = 0.632) and extra-colorectal cancer (extra-CRC) (P = 0.145) between the two groups. However, analysis of pedigrees showed that more patients developed CRC in the LS families (P = 0.013), whereas more patients with extra-CRC were observed in the LLS families (P = 0.045). A higher prevalence of male patients was observed in the LLS families (P = 0.036). In conclusion, LLS should be classified as a mixed entity, containing cases of LS, other hereditary cancer syndromes, and sporadic CRC. The high risks of CRC and extra-CRCs, which were found in this study, suggest tailored management policy and surveillance should be formulated based on individual and family risk. The surveillance regimen can be based on the presence of confirmed pathogenic/likely pathogenic germline variant(s) and family history.

Keywords: DNA mismatch repair; Lynch syndrome; Lynch-like syndrome; colorectal cancer; pedigree.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Representative pedigree of an LLS family, showing the presence of BRCA1 variants. A variant of uncertain significance in BRCA1 (p. Leu52Phe) was identified in the pedigree. Three members who developed CRC underwent surgery in our hospital, and genetic testing manifested that they carried the same germline variant.

Similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Antelo M., Golubicki M., Roca E., Mendez G., Carballido M., Iseas S., et al. (2019). Lynch-like syndrome is as frequent as Lynch syndrome in early-onset nonfamilial nonpolyposis colorectal cancer. Int. J. Cancer 145 705–713. 10.1002/ijc.32160 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Boland P. M., Yurgelun M. B., Boland C. R. (2018). Recent progress in Lynch syndrome and other familial colorectal cancer syndromes. CA Cancer J. Clin. 68 217–231. 10.3322/caac.21448 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Carethers J. M. (2014). Differentiating lynch-like from lynch syndrome. Gastroenterology 146 602–604. 10.1053/j.gastro.2014.01.041 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Carethers J. M., Stoffel E. M. (2015). Lynch syndrome and lynch syndrome mimics: the growing complex landscape of hereditary colon cancer. World J. Gastroenterol. 21 9253–9261. 10.3748/wjg.v21.i31.9253 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Castillejo A., Vargas G., Castillejo M. I., Navarro M., Barberá V. M., González S., et al. (2014). Prevalence of germline MUTYH mutations among Lynch-like syndrome patients. Eur. J. Cancer 50 2241–2250. 10.1016/j.ejca.2014.05.022 - DOI - PubMed