Tag Archives: apc gene

Adenoma Carcinoma Sequence

Adenoma Carcinoma Sequence

Steps and pathway to cancer development:

1. “First hit”: germline or somatic mutations to:

- APC, mismatch repair genes (MSH2)

2. “Second hit”: methylation, inactivation of normal alleles:

- APC, B-catenin, MSH2

Adenomas

3. Protooncogene mutation: k-ras

4. Homozygous loss of other tumour suppressor protein: p53

5. Carcinoma: many genes involved and altered

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Attenuated Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

Attenuated Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

AFAP (Attenuated)

Genetics:
- mutations in APC gene 5q chromosome, exon 9 (5’, 3’ ends)
- also mutations to MYH (base excision repair gene)

Gross: flat, plaque-like, less than 100, right colon

Histology

- adenomas, may have adenomatous flat epithelium

Clinical: adenocarcinoma later ~55yrs

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Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

Classic Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

Genetics: Autosomal dominant
- mutations in APC gene 5q chromosome
- APC is a tumour suppressor gene
- non-fnxl APC pr- cannot bind B-catenin
- B-catenin binds to Tcf-Lef proteins
- this activates genes involved in proliferation and inhibition of apoptosis

Extracolonic lesions:
- Fundic gland polyps
- Gardner’s syndrome and extra gastrointestinal lesions (desmoid tumors, epidermoid cyst, osteoma)
- Turcot’s syndrome and medulloblastoma

Diagnosis criteria:
a) 100 plus colorectal polyps
b) germ line mutation in APC gene
c) family history of APC
d) at least one of epidermoid cyst, osteoma or desmoid tumor

Gross: sm, lg adenomas, polyps in colon, ­ distally in colon

Histology: adenomas, may have adenomatous flat epithelium

Clinical: – risk of adenocarcinoma is ~100% by age 50

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Fundic Gland Polyp

Fundic Gland Polyp

Gross appearance and location:

- multiple sessile polyps

- fundus or body of stomach

Histology:

- mixture of mucous and specialized glands

- associated with familial adenomatous polyposis syndrome (FAP) if numerous

Genetics:

sporadic: β-catenin mutations

FAP: APC mutations

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Turcot syndrome

Turcot syndrome

Tumors of the CNS

Two-thirds with APC gene mutations develop medulloblastomas

One-third with HNPCC gene mutations develop glioblastomas

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Familial Adenomatous Polyposis Syndrome

Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) Syndrome

Familial Adenomatous Polyposis Syndrome Inheritance pattern

- autosomal dominant inheritance

- APC gene is on chromosome 5q21
- APC gene plays a role in the WNT pathway in the degradation of the beta-catenin

- beta-catenin role is to turn on transcription factors in the nucleus that lead to cell cycle progression
-mutations in the APC leads to absence of b-catenin degradation and signal independent tranlocation into the nucleus where it turns on the cell cycl

Familial Adenomatous Polyposis Syndrome Clinical Presentation

- two types of clinical presentations:

Classic Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

- minimum of 100 colonic polyps

- polyps in ampulla of Vater – this leads to a prophylactic colectomy in siblings and first-degree relatives which are at risk

Attenuated Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

- patients tend to develop fewer polyps (average 30), and most of the polyps are located in the proximal colon

- lifetime risk of cancer development is usually around 50%

Gardner syndrome

- polyps identical to those in classic FAP
- multiple osteomas (particularly of the mandible, skull, and long bones)
- epidermal cysts
- fibromatosis – desmoid tumors
- less frequent are abnormalities of dentition, such as unerupted and supernumerary teeth
- higher frequency of duodenal and thyroid cancer

Turcot syndrome

- combination of adenomatous colonic polyposis and tumors of the CNS
2/3 have  have APC gene mutations and develop brain medulloblastomas

- 1/3 have mutations in one of the genes associated with HNPCC and develop brain glioblastomas

Gross Features of Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

-hundreds to thousands of adenomas evenly distributed through colorectum  and appendix
- adenomas range from microscopic to 1cm in diameter with larger adenomas found in the rectosigmoid
- rectum occasionally spared, especially in the attenuated FAP
- colorectal carcinomas may be multifocal

Microscopic Features of Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

- histologically identical to sporadic adenomas
- normal intervening mucosa

- adenomas evolve from single adenomatous crypts

Symptoms and Management

- patients may be asymptomatic before puberty
- initial symptoms are  rectal bleeding and diarrhea
- carcinomas start about 6 years after first symptoms
- 100%  colon cancer without intervention
- treatment is prophylactic total colectomy
- following colectomy, the most common cause of death is periampullary cancer in 20%

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