Germline mutations in the VHL gene associated with 3 different renal lesions in a Chinese von Hippel-Lindau disease family

VHL syndrome without clear family history: A rare case report and literature review of Chinese patients

Objective

To analyze the clinical manifestations and imaging features of a hospitalized patient with intermittent headache who was finally diagnosed with von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) syndrome and to perform whole-exon gene detection to improve the understanding of the diagnosis and treatment strategies of the disease.

Methods

A case of suspected VHL syndrome in Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital was analyzed. Proband DNA was also extracted for whole exome sequencing and screened for causative mutation sites, which were validated by Sanger sequencing. The literature about VHL gene mutations in Chinese patients in the past 10 years were also reviewed.

Results

There is a heterozygous mutation site c.499C > G on the VHL gene on the short arm of chromosome 3 of the patient, which is a missense mutation. The mutation results in the substitution of arginine with glycine at amino acid 167 of the encoded protein, which may be primarily responsible for the disease in the patient with VHL syndrome. However, the mutation did not occur in other family members.

Conclusion

Early recognition and treatment of VHL syndrome can be available with genetic testing technology. Strengthening the understanding of this complex genetic disease and improving the diagnostic rate of VHL syndrome are helpful for the precise treatment of patients with this disease, which may help prolong the survival time of patients to a certain extent and improve their quality of life.

Von Hippel-Lindau "Black Forest" mutation inherited in a large Chinese family

Background

The Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) p.Tyr98His (Y98H) mutation is designated as the "Black Forest" founder mutation and has been previously reported in Western countries. This study reports the first recorded Chinese VHL family with the "Black Forest" mutation in Asia.

Methods

Paired whole-exome sequencing (WES), Sanger sequencing and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were performed on samples from a large Chinese family to confirm the causative mutation and mutation carriers in the family. Clinical manifestations of the family were summarized and compared with those reported from other patients with the VHL Y98H mutation.

Results

The Chinese pheochromocytoma (PCC) family was identified as a VHL type 2 family with a Y98H mutation. There were 4 VHL patients and 11 currently healthy individuals with the mutation. Copy number analysis and SDHB IHC were performed to exclude interference from other pathogenic genes of PCC or paraganglioma (PGL).

Conclusions

We report the first recorded instance of a Chinese VHL type 2 family with the "Black Forest" mutation by using WES and Sanger sequencing, which widens the currently recorded presence of the "Black Forest" mutation to China and potentially elsewhere in Asia and indicates that the "Black Forest" mutation does not uniquely evolve in occidental countries. A personalized surveillance approach, which may be more appropriate for affected families, has been recommended to improve quality of life.

In silico VHL Gene Mutation Analysis and Prognosis of Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors in von Hippel-Lindau Disease

Context

Patients with von Hippel-Lindau (vHL) disease caused by a missense VHL mutation have a more severe phenotype compared with other VHL mutation types.

Objective

To define pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PNET) aggressiveness according to VHL genotype.

Design

A prospective natural history study.

Setting

The National Institutes of Health clinical center.

Patients

Patients with vHL disease, pancreatic manifestations, and germline missense VHL gene mutations.

Intervention

In-silico prediction of VHL mutation via five computational prediction models. Patients with >80% prediction for disease-causing mutations in all models [high predicted risk (HPR)] were compared with others [low predicted risk (LPR)].

Main Outcome Measure

Rates of metastases, surgical intervention, and disease progression.

Results

Sixty-nine patients were included: 2 developed metastases, 12 needed surgery, and 31 had disease progression during a median follow-up of 60 months (range 13 to 84 months). Thirteen patients were excluded for low prediction reliability. In the remaining 56 patients (45 with PNETs, 11 with pancreatic cysts), the HPR group (n = 13) had a higher rate of disease progression than the LPR group (n = 43) in multivariable analysis (hazard ratio 3.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.1 to 11.9; P = 0.037). The HPR group also had a higher risk of developing metastases (P = 0.015). Among patients with codon 167 hotspot mutations (n = 26), those in the HPR group had a higher risk for disease progression (P = 0.03) than other patients.

Conclusions

Computational models for predicting the impact of missense VHL gene mutations may be used as a prognostic factor in patients with PNETs in the context of vHL disease.

Risk of Subsequent Primary Kidney Cancer After Another Malignancy: A Population-based Study

BACKGROUND

Population-based data on the development of kidney cancer as a second malignant neoplasm following the diagnosis of other common malignancies are rare. This clinical scenario has been evaluated within the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The SEER-9 database (1973-2013) was queried using the SEER*Stat program to determine the standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) of kidney cancer development following each one of 10 common invasive malignancies (colorectal, breast, prostate, lung, thyroid, corpus uteri, urinary bladder, kidney/renal pelvis, cutaneous melanoma, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma). The following data were collected for patients with a second renal cancer: age at diagnosis of the second renal cancer; gender, race, and histology of the second primary renal cancer; SEER historic stage of the second primary renal cancer; and method of diagnostic confirmation of the second primary cancer.

RESULTS

A total of 10,145 kidney cancers were observed. Elevated SIRs for kidney cancer were noted for all 10 evaluated malignancies in the initial 12 months after diagnosis. The SIRs remained elevated 12 to 59 months after diagnosis for all cancers except breast and prostate cancers. Increased risks persisted 60 to 119 months beyond diagnosis for renal cancer (SIR, 4.13), thyroid cancer (SIR, 2.30), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (SIR, 1.40); and 120+ months for renal cancer (SIR, 3.60), thyroid cancer (SIR, 1.90), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (SIR, 1.27). Increased kidney cancer risk after non-Hodgkin lymphoma was not related to radiation therapy. Papillary renal cell carcinoma has the highest SIRs for subsequent kidney cancers.

CONCLUSION

Many common cancers are associated with an increased risk of kidney cancer development within the first 5 years after their diagnosis. Although this can be partly interpreted by increased rates of surveillance tests, radiotherapy effects, or genetic associations for some cancers, additional research is required to explain the persistently increased risk beyond 5 years associated with some cancers.