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Åke Borg

Åke Borg

Principal investigator

Åke Borg

Individuals with FANCM biallelic mutations do not develop Fanconi anemia, but show risk for breast cancer, chemotherapy toxicity and may display chromosome fragility

Author

  • Irene Catucci
  • Ana Osorio
  • Brita Arver
  • Guido Neidhardt
  • Massimo Bogliolo
  • Federica Zanardi
  • Mirko Riboni
  • Simone Minardi
  • Roser Pujol
  • Jacopo Azzollini
  • Bernard Peissel
  • Siranoush Manoukian
  • Giovanna De Vecchi
  • Stefano Casola
  • Jan Hauke
  • Lisa Richters
  • Kerstin Rhiem
  • Rita K Schmutzler
  • Karin Wallander
  • Therese Törngren
  • Åke Borg
  • Paolo Radice
  • Jordi Surrallés
  • Eric Hahnen
  • Hans Ehrencrona
  • Anders Kvist
  • Javier Benitez
  • Paolo Peterlongo
Show all

Summary, in English

PurposeMonoallelic germ-line mutations in the BRCA1/FANCS, BRCA2/FANCD1 and PALB2/FANCN genes confer high risk of breast cancer. Biallelic mutations in these genes cause Fanconi anemia (FA), characterized by malformations, bone marrow failure, chromosome fragility, and cancer predisposition (BRCA2/FANCD1 and PALB2/FANCN), or an FA-like disease presenting a phenotype similar to FA but without bone marrow failure (BRCA1/FANCS). FANCM monoallelic mutations have been reported as moderate risk factors for breast cancer, but there are no reports of any clinical phenotype observed in carriers of biallelic mutations.MethodsBreast cancer probands were subjected to mutation analysis by sequencing gene panels or testing DNA damage response genes.ResultsFive cases homozygous for FANCM loss-of-function mutations were identified. They show a heterogeneous phenotype including cancer predisposition, toxicity to chemotherapy, early menopause, and possibly chromosome fragility. Phenotype severity might correlate with mutation position in the gene.ConclusionOur data indicate that biallelic FANCM mutations do not cause classical FA, providing proof that FANCM is not a canonical FA gene. Moreover, our observations support previous findings suggesting that FANCM is a breast cancer-predisposing gene. Mutation testing of FANCM might be considered for individuals with the above-described clinical features.Genetics in Medicine advance online publication, 24 August 2017; doi:10.1038/gim.2017.123.

Department/s

  • Breastcancer-genetics
  • Familial Breast Cancer
  • BioCARE: Biomarkers in Cancer Medicine improving Health Care, Education and Innovation
  • Division of Clinical Genetics

Publishing year

2018

Language

English

Pages

452-457

Publication/Series

Genetics in Medicine

Volume

20

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Nature Publishing Group

Topic

  • Medical Genetics

Status

Published

Research group

  • Familial Breast Cancer

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1098-3600