Mutation screening in a Norwegian cohort with pheochromocytoma

Pheochromocytomas (PHEOs) are neuroendocrine tumours, originating from chromaffin cells in the adrenal medulla. They are either sporadic or hereditary. It is important to identify the hereditary cases, so that patients and relatives with germline mutations can be offered regular surveillance. The objective of this study was the detection of pathogenic germline mutations in a cohort of Norwegian PHEO patients. Blood samples and/or formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue specimens, were collected from 60 patients who were operated upon between 1986 and 2004 at two university hospitals in Norway. DNA mutation analyses were performed successfully in the 42 blood samples and in one of the paraffin-embedded tissue specimen in VHL, RET, SDHB, SDHC, SDHD and NF1. In all, 32 different DNA variants were observed, of which 8 were classified as pathogenic (19 %), or possibly pathogenic; three in NF1, two in RET and VHL and one in SDHB. Two variants were observed in one patient, one in SDHB and one in NF1. Three of these variants are, to the best of our knowledge, new ones; two in NF1 [c.950_51insGCTGA, (p.Glu318LeufsX59) and c.1588G > A, (p.Val530Ile)] and one in VHL (c.308C > T, p.Pro103Leu). In conclusion the overall incidence of germline mutations in genes associated with familial PHEO was found to be of the same order of magnitude in the present Norwegian series as in those from other countries. Two new NF1 variants and one new VHL gene variant were detected.