PurposeAn association of Lynch syndrome (LS) with breast cancer has been long suspected; however, there have been insufficient data to address this question for each of the LS genes individually.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective review of personal and family history in 423 women with pathogenic or likely pathogenic germ-line variants in MLH1 (N = 65), MSH2 (N = 94), MSH6 (N = 140), or PMS2 (N = 124) identified via clinical multigene hereditary cancer testing. Standard incidence ratios (SIRs) of breast cancer were calculated by comparing breast cancer frequencies in our study population with those in the general population (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 18 data).ResultsWhen evaluating by gene, the age-standardized breast cancer risks for MSH6 (SIR = 2.11; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.56–2.86) and PMS2 (SIR = 2.92; 95% CI, 2.17–3.92) were associated with a statistically significant risk for breast cancer whereas no association was observed for MLH1 (SIR = 0.87; 95% CI, 0.42–1.83) or MSH2 (SIR = 1.22; 95% CI, 0.72–2.06).ConclusionOur data demonstrate that two LS genes, MSH6 and PMS2, are associated with an increased risk for breast cancer and should be considered when ordering genetic testing for individuals who have a personal and/or family history of breast cancer.

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Ovarian germ cell cancers are rare malignancies accounting for less than 5% of all ovarian cancers. We present a family in which three closely related women were diagnosed with ovarian germ cell malignancies. This family's cancer history prompted a family history investigation of women treated for ovarian germ cell malignancies in the Gynecologic-Oncology Clinic at the University of Wisconsin. One of the eight patients whose family histories were reviewed had an uncle who had been diagnosed with testicular germ cell cancer. A review found six other previously reported families in which more than one relative had been diagnosed with a malignant ovarian germ cell tumor. Additionally, several cases of families with both males and females diagnosed with germ cell cancers have been documented. The low incidence of ovarian germ cell cancers suggests that multiple occurrences in the same family may not be due to chance. Rather, it is possible that a gene conferring susceptibility to ovarian germ cell cancers, and possibly to germ cell tumors in males as well, is present in at least some of these families.

We describe a patient with a severe juvenile polyposis phenotype, due to a de novo deletion of chromosome 10q22.3-q24.1. He was initially diagnosed with Juvenile polyposis syndrome (JPS) at age 4 after presenting with hematochezia due to multiple colonic juvenile polyps. He then represented at 23 years with recurrent hematochezia from juvenile polyps in his ileoanal pouch. He is one of the earliest reported cases of JPS associated with a large deletion of chromosome 10. Since his initial diagnosis of JPS further studies have confirmed an association between JPS and mutations in BMPR1A in chromosome band 10q23.2, which is in close proximity to PTEN. Mutations in PTEN cause Cowden syndrome (CS) and other PTEN hamartoma tumor syndromes. Due to the chromosome 10 deletion involving contiguous portions of BMPR1A and PTEN in our patient, he may be at risk for CS associated cancers and features, in addition to the polyps associated with JPS. This case presents new challenges in developing appropriate surveillance algorithms to account for the risks associated with each syndrome and highlights the importance of longitudinal follow-up and transitional care between pediatric and adult gastroenterology for patients with hereditary polyposis syndromes.