Abstract

Confirmation of germline variants identified by tumor testing: A population-based study.

Author
person Alexandra Pender British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada info_outline Alexandra Pender, Aly Karsan, Stephen Yip, Ian Bosdet, Sean Young, Tracy Tucker, Kasmintan A Schrader, Sophie Sun
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Authors person Alexandra Pender British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada info_outline Alexandra Pender, Aly Karsan, Stephen Yip, Ian Bosdet, Sean Young, Tracy Tucker, Kasmintan A Schrader, Sophie Sun Organizations British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada, Department of Pathology, BC Cancer Agency and University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada Abstract Disclosures Research Funding Other Foundation Background: Multi-gene panel tumour testing (TT) has been available in British Columbia since mid-2016 for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), colorectal cancer (CRC), melanoma (MEL), low-grade glioma (LGG), and gastro-intestinal stromal tumours (GIST). TT can detect somatic driver mutations and potential pathogenic germline variants (pPGVs) associated with hereditary cancer susceptibility. We reviewed the frequency of pPGVs identified by TT and examined referral rates to the Hereditary Cancer Program (HCP) for confirmatory germline testing (GT) and therapeutic implications of PGV findings. Methods: All patients (pts) undergoing TT testing from October 1, 2016 to December 31, 2018 were identified. Diagnosis, age, gender, family history and treatment data were obtained. TT was performed by next-generation sequencing for all/selected regions of the following genes: AKT1 , ALK , BRAF , BRCA1 , BRCA2 , CCND1 , CCND3 , CIC , EGFR , ERBB2 , ERBB3 , FUBP1 , HRAS , IDH1 , IDH2 , KIT , KRAS , MAP2K1 , MET , NRAS , PDGFRA , PIK3CA , PTEN , ROS1 , SDHA , SDHB , SDHC , SDHD . Results: Among 2937 TTs, pPGVs were identified in 83 pts (2.8%) [Table 1]. 50 pts (57%) were referred to HCP, 41 had germline testing, and 14 PGV were confirmed. PGVs were most commonly identified in BRCA1/2 and SDHA and these findings did not influence oncologic treatments. Conclusions: TT detected pPGVs in 2.8% of unselected pts with metastatic cancers. Among 41 pts undergoing germline testing, 34% who would not have otherwise met testing criteria, had a confirmed PGV. Referral rates were low due to lack of patient and clinician awareness and poor health status. Although PGV findings did not directly impact treatment, TT identified 14 new families with hereditary cancer who can benefit from early detection and screening. Future directions include expansion of TT to include additional hereditary cancer susceptibility genes and development of digital tools for pts and clinicians. Tumor type TT (n, %) pPGV (n, %) pPGV referred (n, %) pPGV referred with confirmed PGV (n, %) Genes with PGV NSCLC 1244 (42) 27 (2.2) 16 (59) 4 (25) BRCA2 CRC 1257 (43) 42 (3.3) 24 (57) 5 (21) BRCA1/2 MEL 324 (11) 10 (3) 9 (90) 3 (33) BRCA2/SDHA/SDHC LGG 56 (2) 2 (3.6) 0 (0) - - GIST 56 (2) 2 (3.6) 2 (100) 2 (100) BRCA2/SDHA