Clinical and genetic analysis of seven Chinese pedigrees affected with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A with cutaneous lichen amyloidosis

Abstract

To explore the pathological characteristics and significance of RET proto-oncogene screening in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN2A) with cutaneous lichen amyloidosis (CLA). Clinical data of 51 members from 7 unrelated pedigrees of MEN2A-CLA were collected. Systemic clinical investigations including biochemical testing, imaging examination, germline RET variant screening and histopathological examination were carried out. RET gene variants were detected in 28 patients with MEN2A (C634G/F/R/S/W and C611Y) including 12 males and 16 females, with the mean age of diagnosis being (41.1 ± 18.3) years old, which were consistent with their clinical manifestations. The incidence of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), pheochromocytoma (PHEO), hyperparathyroidism (HPTH) and CLA among 28 MEN2A patients were 89.3%, 28.6%, 7.1% and 28.6%, respectively. Comparison of the incidence of MTC/PHEO/HPTH and CLA between C611Y and C634G/F/R/S/W, only PHEO and CLA in C611Y were lower than those in C634G/F/R/S/W (P < 0.05; P < 0.05). Among 8 patients with CLA, the male to female ratio was 2 : 6. The clinical features included pruritus in the interscapular region and presence of dry, thickened, scaly, brown pigment, clustered or desquamate-like plaques. The mean onset age of CLA [(18.4 ± 4.6) years] versus the mean age at diagnosis of CLA or MEN2A were significantly different (P < 0.001; P < 0.001). MEN2A-CLA may be the early clinical manifestation of MEN2A and most frequently occurred along with RET-C634 variant. To facilitate the recognition of MEN2A-CLA, to combine family investigation and screening of RET variant are helpful for early diagnosis and standardized treatment, which can improve the long-term outcome of MEN2A-specific tumors.