A novel germline POLE mutation causes an early onset cancer prone syndrome mimicking constitutional mismatch repair deficiency

Fam Cancer. 2017 Jan;16(1):67-71. doi: 10.1007/s10689-016-9925-1.

Abstract

In a 14-year-old boy with polyposis and rectosigmoid carcinoma, we identified a novel POLE germline mutation, p.(Val411Leu), previously found as recurrent somatic mutation in 'ultramutated' sporadic cancers. This is the youngest reported cancer patient with polymerase proofreading-associated polyposis indicating that POLE mutation p.(Val411Leu) may confer a more severe phenotype than previously reported POLE and POLD1 germline mutations. The patient had multiple café-au-lait macules and a pilomatricoma mimicking the clinical phenotype of constitutional mismatch repair deficiency. We hypothesize that these skin features may be common to different types of constitutional DNA repair defects associated with polyposis and early-onset cancer.

Keywords: Café-au-lait macule; Colon cancer; Constitutional mismatch repair deficiency; Pilomatricoma; Polymerase proofreading-associated polyposis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Age of Onset
  • Brain Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Cafe-au-Lait Spots / genetics
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / genetics*
  • DNA Polymerase II / genetics*
  • Germ-Line Mutation*
  • Hair Diseases / genetics
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Microsatellite Instability
  • Neoplastic Syndromes, Hereditary / genetics*
  • Pilomatrixoma / genetics
  • Poly-ADP-Ribose Binding Proteins
  • Skin Neoplasms / genetics

Substances

  • Poly-ADP-Ribose Binding Proteins
  • DNA Polymerase II
  • POLE protein, human

Supplementary concepts

  • Turcot syndrome