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Differences in cancer prevalence among CHEK2 carriers identified via multi-gene panel testing
Erin G Sutcliffe1, Amy R Stettner2, Stacey A Miller2
1GeneDx, 207 Perry Parkway, Gaithersburg, MD 20877, USA.
CHEK2 gene variants show varied cancer risks, with some missense variants posing lower risks. Biallelic CHEK2 carriers do not face higher risks than heterozygotes, but co-occurring variants warrant management.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Oncology
- Hereditary Cancer Syndromes
Background:
- CHEK2 is a known cancer predisposition gene.
- Uncertainty exists regarding variant-specific risks and the impact of biallelic CHEK2 pathogenic variants (PVs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize CHEK2 PVs in a large cohort.
- To assess cancer risks associated with different CHEK2 variants.
- To compare risks between biallelic and heterozygous carriers.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of multi-gene hereditary cancer testing data.
- Identification of individuals with CHEK2 PVs.
- Phenotypic assessment across different genotypes.
Main Results:
- 2508 individuals with CHEK2 PVs identified, including 32 with biallelic PVs.
- Common cancers included breast, prostate, and colorectal.
- Some missense PVs showed lower cancer prevalence than truncating PVs.
- No significant difference in risk between biallelic and heterozygous carriers.
Conclusions:
- Variant-specific risk assessment for CHEK2 is ongoing, particularly for missense variants.
- Biallelic CHEK2 PVs do not confer a more severe phenotype than single PVs.
- Co-occurrence of CHEK2 PVs with other cancer gene PVs is frequent and requires management.
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