Landscape of germline mutations in 1144 patients (Pts) with gastrointestinal (GI) cancers.

Abstract

e13660 Background: The efficacy of PARP inhibitors in germline BRCA-mutated pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PC) and immune checkpoint inhibitors in dMMR colorectal cancer (CRC) shows the importance of genetic testing. We aimed to characterize the frequency of pathogenic/likely pathogenic germline variants (PLPVs) in GI cancer pts. Methods: A retrospective review of pts referred to the Levine Cancer Institute Genetics Program was conducted. Genetic testing used a focused hereditary cancer 4-43 gene panel or pan-cancer 82-84 gene panel. Results: Out of 1144 GI cancer pts seen between 2010 and 2019, 869 underwent germline testing, and 199 (23%) pts had at least one PLPV in a hereditary cancer susceptibility gene, while 253 (29.3%) had a variant of uncertain significance. Of 630 CRC pts, 24% had a PLPV and 13% harbored a germline mutation in DNA MMR genes and were diagnosed with Lynch Syndrome, representing ~50% of all pts with a PLPV. Other germline PLPVs were found in APC, ATM, BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2, MUTYH, and PALB2. Of 163 PC pts, 16.6% had a PLPV in ATM, BRCA2, CDKN2A, and MEN1. Gastric cancer pts (17%) had germline PLPVs in APC, BRCA2, CDH1, MLH1, and MSH2; biliary cancer pts (17%) had germline PLPVs in PALB2, RAD50, and PTCH1; and GIST pts (60%) had PLPVs in SDHA or SDHB. Conclusions: Germline mutations were found in 23% of GI cancer pts, underlining the importance of multigene germline testing. Knowledge of inherited GI cancer risk helps determine the likelihood of benefit from possible specific targeted therapies. Genetic testing and counseling pose a challenge, but implications for pts with hereditary syndromes are highly significant. [Table: see text]