NFS-02. MEDULLOBLASTOMAS WITH ELP1 PATHOGENIC VARIANTS: A WEAKLY PENETRANT SYNDROME WITH A RESTRICTED SPECTRUM IN A LIMITED AGE WINDOW

Abstract

Abstract BACKGROUND Medulloblastomas (MB) Sonic hedgehog (SHH) subtype are associated with a cancer predisposition syndrome (CPS) in about 15% of cases, the most frequent being related to ELP1 pathogenic variant (PV). The aim of our study is to better evaluate penetrance of this CPS and detail the characteristics of the related tumors. METHODS Twenty-nine ELP1-mutated MB identified in France were retrospectively reviewed. Molecular characteristics of the tumor and clinical features of the patients were collected; whenever possible, the germline DNA from patients and their relatives were sequenced. RESULTS All patients (sex ratio 16/13) presented with SHH-MB, mostly nodular desmoplastic (n=20/28), between 3 and 15 years of age (median 7.3). All mutations are found in the germline when a constitutional DNA sample was available (n=26). Most tumors (93%) showed a biallelic inactivation of PTCH1, other recurrent alterations concerned the TP53 pathway (including 1 somatic TP53 VP) and activation of MYCN/MYCL signaling. We observed that ELP1-mutated MB behave as sporadic cases, with similar distribution within clinical and molecular risk groups of MB, similar outcomes (5y-OS = 85%) and no unusual side effects of treatments. Three patients developed a second tumor (2 high-grade gliomas and 1 thyroid carcinoma) within the irradiation fields. All germline PV were inherited from one asymptomatic parent (11 trio). No specific morphological features were mentioned. Only two index cases from the 29 French patients had a previous familial history of MB (occurring in a cousin), with many asymptomatic carriers. Except the MB, no other cancer was significantly associated with the ELP1 PV. CONCLUSIONS the low penetrance, the ‘at risk’ age window limited to childhood and the narrow tumor spectrum, question the actual benefit of genetic screening in these patients and their family. Our results suggest restricting ELP1 germline sequencing to patients with MB, depending on the parents’ request.