Hamartomatous polyps: Diagnosis, surveillance, and management.

Hereditary polyposis syndrome can be divided into three categories: Ade-nomatous, serrated, and hamartomatous polyps. Hamartomatous polyps, malformations of normal tissue presenting in a disorganized manner, are characterized by an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern. These syndromes exhibit hamartomatous gastrointestinal polyps in conjunction to extra-intestinal manifestations, which require conscientious and diligent monitoring. Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, Cowden syndrome, and juvenile polyposis syndrome are the most common displays of hamartomatous polyposis syndrome (HPS). Diagnosis can be pursued with molecular testing and endoscopic sampling. Early identification of these autosomal dominant pathologies allows to optimize malignancy sur-veillance, which helps reduce morbidity and mortality in both the affected patient population as well as at-risk family members. Endoscopic surveillance is an important pillar of prognosis and monitoring, with many patients eventually requiring surgical intervention. In this review, we discuss the diagnosis, surveillance, and management of HPS.

Overgrowth syndromes and new therapies.

Overgrowth syndromes represent a diverse group of disorders with overlapping features. Interdisciplinary management by a team of experts in vascular anomalies is crucial for establishing the correct diagnosis and optimizing outcomes for these patients. Unique management considerations include increased risk for thrombosis and in some cases, cancer. In recent years, research has demonstrated that these disorders are primarily caused by somatic mutations in growth pathways, particularly the PI3K-mTOR pathway. This improved understanding had led to promising new therapies for this group of patients.

Cerebellar Dysplastic Gangliocytoma: Case Report

Lhermitte-Duclos disease (LDD), or cerebellar dysplastic gangliocytoma, is a rare type of cerebellar tumor, from unknown origin. Patients can be asymptomatic for several years, but there are usually imprecise neurological signs for long periods.

A Rare WHO Grade I Lesion of the Posterior Fossa with Recurrence Biological Behavior ­ Dysplastic Gangliocytoma of the Cerebellum: Case Report

Dysplastic gangliocytoma of the cerebellum (DGC) or Lhermitte-Duclos Disease is a rare lesion (World Health Organization [WHO] grade I) characterized by thickened folia and replacement of the internal granular layer by abnormal ganglion cells. More commonly, the compromised patients are young adults presenting ataxia, seizures, obstructive hydrocephalus, and increased intracranial pressure. Dysplastic gangliocytoma of the cerebellum is intimately associated with Cowden syndrome, a hereditary disorder caused by a germline mutation in the PTEN tumor suppressor gene on chromosome 10q23. Large neurons of DCG show vesicular nuclei with prominent nucleoli. Expansion of the internal granular layer determines vacuolization of the molecular layer and white matter, which can be related to the bright stripes identified on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Herein, the authors report a female patient who developed long- time recurrence of DGC and discuss pathological findings and differential diagnosis of this rare cerebellar lesion.

PTEN in Hereditary and Sporadic Cancer.

Germline pathogenic phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) mutations cause PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome (PHTS), characterized by various benign and malignant tumors of the thyroid, breast, endometrium, and other organs. Patients with PHTS may present with other clinical features such as macrocephaly, intestinal polyposis, cognitive changes, and pathognomonic skin changes. Clinically, deregulation of PTEN function is implicated in other human diseases in addition to many types of human cancer. PTEN is an important phosphatase that counteracts one of the most critical cancer pathways: the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling pathways. Although PTEN can dephosphorylate lipids and proteins, it also has functions independent of phosphatase activity in normal and pathological states. It is positively and negatively regulated at the transcriptional level as well as posttranslationally by phosphorylation, ubiquitylation, oxidation, and acetylation. Although most of its tumor-suppressor activity is likely to be caused by lipid dephosphorylation at the plasma membrane, PTEN also resides in the cytoplasm and nucleus, and its subcellular distribution is under strict control. In this review, we highlight our current knowledge of PTEN function and recent discoveries in understanding PTEN function regulation and how this can be exploited therapeutically for cancer treatment.

PTEN-opathies: from biological insights to evidence-based precision medicine.

The tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) classically counteracts the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling cascade. Germline pathogenic PTEN mutations cause PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome (PHTS), featuring various benign and malignant tumors, as well as neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder. Germline and somatic mosaic mutations in genes encoding components of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway downstream of PTEN predispose to syndromes with partially overlapping clinical features, termed the "PTEN-opathies." Experimental models of PTEN pathway disruption uncover the molecular and cellular processes influencing clinical phenotypic manifestations. Such insights not only teach us about biological mechanisms in states of health and disease, but also enable more accurate gene-informed cancer risk assessment, medical management, and targeted therapeutics. Hence, the PTEN-opathies serve as a prototype for bedside to bench, and back to the bedside, practice of evidence-based precision medicine.

PTEN Mutation Identified in Patient Diagnosed with Simultaneous Multiple Cancers.

PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome is a spectrum of disorders characterized by unique phenotypic features including multiple hamartomas caused by mutations of the tumor suppressor gene PTEN. Cowden syndrome and Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome are representative diseases, and both have several common clinical features and differences. Because PTEN mutations are associated with an increased risk of malignancy including breast, thyroid, endometrial, and renal cancers, cancer surveillance is an important element of disease management. We report a germline mutation of the PTEN (c.723dupT, exon 7) identified in a young woman with a simultaneous occurrence of breast cancer, dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, and follicular neoplasm. This case suggests that it is critical for clinicians to recognize the phenotypic features associated with these syndromes to accurately diagnose them and provide preventive care.

Síndrome de Cowden / Cowden syndrome

El síndrome de Cowden es una enfermedad hereditaria, de transmisión autosómica dominante, caracterizada por la presencia de múltiples hamartomas y nódulos en la piel y la mucosa oral, junto con anomalías en mamas, tiroides y pólipos en el tracto gastrointestinal, con un riesgo incrementado de tumores malignos. Se reporta un caso de una paciente con diagnóstico de bocio tóxico nodular, y que presentaba -por los antecedentes y estudios realizados- manifestaciones compatibles con el síndrome de Cowden. El síndrome de Cowden es el síndrome hamartomatoso tumoral del phosphatase and tensinhomolog mejor descrito hasta el momento. Los pacientes con él tienen lesiones mucocutáneas características y un elevado riesgo de cáncer de mama, tiroides, endometrio, colorrectal y renal, así como varias manifestaciones benignas como macrocefalia y gangliocitomadisplásico del cerebelo. Es importante el diagnóstico precoz de este síndrome y el seguimiento a largo plazo, dado el alto riesgo de desarrollar tumores malignos(AU)

Cowden syndrome is a hereditary disease, of autosomal dominant transmission, and characterized by the presence of multiple hamartomas and nodules in the skin and oral mucosa, and also with abnormalities in the breast, thyroid, and polyps in the gastrointestinal tract with an increased risk of malignant tumors. It is reported a case of a patient with a diagnosis of toxic nodular goiter, and who presented -due to the antecedents and studies carried out- manifestations compatible with the Cowden syndrome. Cowden syndrome is the hamartomatous tumor syndrome of phosphatase and tensin homolog which is better described so far. Patients having it present characteristic mucocutaneous lesions and a high risk of breast, thyroid, endometrial, colorectal and renal cancers, as well as several benign manifestations such as macrocephaly and gangliocytoma of the cerebellum. Early diagnosis of this syndrome and long-term follow-up are important given the high risk of developing malignant tumors(AU)

Síndrome de Cowden / Cowden syndrome

El síndrome de Cowden es una enfermedad hereditaria, de transmisión autosómica dominante, caracterizada por la presencia de múltiples hamartomas y nódulos en la piel y la mucosa oral, junto con anomalías en mamas, tiroides y pólipos en el tracto gastrointestinal, con un riesgo incrementado de tumores malignos. Se reporta un caso de una paciente con diagnóstico de bocio tóxico nodular, y que presentaba -por los antecedentes y estudios realizados- manifestaciones compatibles con el síndrome de Cowden. El síndrome de Cowden es el síndrome hamartomatoso tumoral del phosphatase and tensinhomolog mejor descrito hasta el momento. Los pacientes con él tienen lesiones mucocutáneas características y un elevado riesgo de cáncer de mama, tiroides, endometrio, colorrectal y renal, así como varias manifestaciones benignas como macrocefalia y gangliocitomadisplásico del cerebelo. Es importante el diagnóstico precoz de este síndrome y el seguimiento a largo plazo, dado el alto riesgo de desarrollar tumores malignos(AU)

Cowden syndrome is a hereditary disease, of autosomal dominant transmission, and characterized by the presence of multiple hamartomas and nodules in the skin and oral mucosa, and also with abnormalities in the breast, thyroid, and polyps in the gastrointestinal tract with an increased risk of malignant tumors. It is reported a case of a patient with a diagnosis of toxic nodular goiter, and who presented -due to the antecedents and studies carried out- manifestations compatible with the Cowden syndrome. Cowden syndrome is the hamartomatous tumor syndrome of phosphatase and tensin homolog which is better described so far. Patients having it present characteristic mucocutaneous lesions and a high risk of breast, thyroid, endometrial, colorectal and renal cancers, as well as several benign manifestations such as macrocephaly and gangliocytoma of the cerebellum. Early diagnosis of this syndrome and long-term follow-up are important given the high risk of developing malignant tumors(AU)

[A Case of Cowden Syndrome Associated with Lhermitte-Duclos Disease].

A 24-year-old woman slowly developed mild unsteadiness of gait. Neurological examination revealed mild dysmetria of the left upper and lower limbs. Standing and gait were unsteady, and tandem gait was impossible. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed an enlarged left cerebellar hemisphere with striated lines, a characteristic finding of Lhermitte-Duclos disease. She also had papules on the forehead, goiter, lactating adenoma, glycogenic acanthosis in the esophagus, café-au-lait spot, and hemangioma and keratosis on the dorsum of foot. The diagnosis of Cowden syndrome was established by finding the mutation in the phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) gene. Cowden syndrome is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by multiple hamartomas in a variety of tissues. Recognition of Lhermitte-Duclos disease as a neurological condition of Cowden syndrome is important, and once the diagnosis of Lhermitte-Duclos disease is made, a close physical investigation is necessary because the hamartomas tend to develop malignancies. (Received March 15, 2017; Accepted July 24, 2017; Published December 1, 2017).

Breast cancer risk and clinical implications for germline PTEN mutation carriers.

PTEN Hamartoma Tumor syndrome (PHTS) encompasses a clinical spectrum of heritable disorders including Cowden syndrome (CS), Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome, and Proteus and Proteus-like syndrome that are associated with germline mutations in the PTEN tumor suppressor gene. Breast cancer risk estimates (67-85 %) for women with germline PTEN mutations are similar to those quoted for patients with germline mutations in the BRCA1/2 genes. With PTEN on several germline gene testing panels, finding PTEN mutations and variants have increased exponentially. PHTS can be differentiated from other hereditary cancer syndromes including Hereditary Breast Ovarian Cancer syndrome, Lynch syndrome, and hamartomatous polyposis syndromes based on personal as well as family history. However, many of the benign features of CS are common in the general population, making the diagnosis of CS challenging. Breast cancer patients with an identified germline PTEN mutation are at increased risk of endometrial, thyroid, renal, and colorectal cancers as well as a second breast cancer. Increased screening for the various component cancers as well as predictive testing in first-degree relatives is recommended. Prophylactic mastectomy may be considered especially if breast tissue is dense or if repeated breast biopsies have been necessary. Management of women with breast cancer suspected of CS who test negative for germline PTEN mutations should be managed as per a mutation carrier if she meets CS diagnostic criteria, and should be offered enrollment in research to identify other predisposition genes.

The spectrum of nephrocutaneous diseases and associations: Genetic causes of nephrocutaneous disease.

There are a significant number of diseases and treatment considerations of considerable importance relating to the skin and renal systems. This emphasizes the need for dermatologists in practice or in clinical training to be aware of these associations. Part I of this 2-part continuing medical education article reviews the genetic syndromes with both renal and cutaneous involvement that are most important for the dermatologist to be able to identify, manage, and appropriately refer to nephrology colleagues. Part II reviews the inflammatory syndromes with relevant renal manifestations and therapeutic agents commonly used by dermatologists that have drug-induced effects on or require close consideration of renal function. In addition, we will likewise review therapeutic agents commonly used by nephrologists that have drug-induced effects on the skin that dermatologists are likely to encounter in clinical practice. In both parts of this continuing medical education article, we discuss diagnosis, management, and appropriate referral to our nephrology colleagues in the context of each nephrocutaneous association. There are a significant number of dermatoses associated with renal abnormalities and disease, emphasizing the need for dermatologists to be keenly aware of their presence in order to avoid overlooking important skin conditions with potentially devastating renal complications. This review discusses important nephrocutaneous disease associations with recommendations for the appropriate urgency of referral to nephrology colleagues for diagnosis, surveillance, and early management of potential renal sequelae.

Ewing Sarcoma in a Patient With Cowden Syndrome.

A 47-year-old woman, initially diagnosed in 1996 with Cowden syndrome (CS), PTEN-mutant bilateral breast cancer, a thyroid nodule, and uterine fibroids, presented to UCLA in 2013 with Ewing sarcoma of the pelvic bone. Her treatment course included mastectomies, hysterectomy/oophorectomy, and total thyroid resection, and chemotherapy, radiation, and hemipelvectomy for Ewing sarcoma. This case report illustrates the unusual presentation of Ewing sarcoma in a patient with PTEN-mutant CS, the probable underlying molecular pathogenesis, long-term management, and therapeutic considerations.

Targeted therapy for genetic cancer syndromes: Von Hippel-Lindau disease, Cowden syndrome, and Proteus syndrome.

Von Hippel-Lindau disease, Cowden syndrome, and Proteus syndrome are cancer syndromes which affect multiple organs and lead to significant decline in quality of life in affected patients. These syndromes are rare and typically affect the adolescent and young adult population, resulting in greater cumulative years of life lost. Improved understanding of the underpinnings of the genetic pathways underlying these syndromes and the rapid evolution of targeted therapies in general have made it possible to develop therapeutic options for these patients and other genetic cancer syndromes. Targeted therapies especially antiangiogenics and inhibitors of the PIK3CA/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway have shown activity in selected group of patients affected by these syndromes or in patients harboring specific sporadic mutations which are otherwise characteristic of these syndromes. Unfortunately due to the rare nature, patients with these syndromes are not the focus of clinical trials and unique results seen in these patients can easily go unnoticed. Most of the data suggesting benefits of targeted therapies are either case reports or small case series. Thus, a literature review was indicated. In this review we explore the use of molecularly targeted therapy options in Von Hippel-Lindau disease, Cowden syndrome, and Proteus syndrome.

ACG clinical guideline: Genetic testing and management of hereditary gastrointestinal cancer syndromes.

This guideline presents recommendations for the management of patients with hereditary gastrointestinal cancer syndromes. The initial assessment is the collection of a family history of cancers and premalignant gastrointestinal conditions and should provide enough information to develop a preliminary determination of the risk of a familial predisposition to cancer. Age at diagnosis and lineage (maternal and/or paternal) should be documented for all diagnoses, especially in first- and second-degree relatives. When indicated, genetic testing for a germline mutation should be done on the most informative candidate(s) identified through the family history evaluation and/or tumor analysis to confirm a diagnosis and allow for predictive testing of at-risk relatives. Genetic testing should be conducted in the context of pre- and post-test genetic counseling to ensure the patient's informed decision making. Patients who meet clinical criteria for a syndrome as well as those with identified pathogenic germline mutations should receive appropriate surveillance measures in order to minimize their overall risk of developing syndrome-specific cancers. This guideline specifically discusses genetic testing and management of Lynch syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), attenuated familial adenomatous polyposis (AFAP), MUTYH-associated polyposis (MAP), Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, juvenile polyposis syndrome, Cowden syndrome, serrated (hyperplastic) polyposis syndrome, hereditary pancreatic cancer, and hereditary gastric cancer.