ATM mutations in patients with hereditary pancreatic cancer

Cancer Discov. 2012 Jan;2(1):41-6. doi: 10.1158/2159-8290.CD-11-0194. Epub 2011 Dec 29.

Abstract

Pancreatic cancers are the fourth most-common cause of cancer-related deaths in the Western world, with >200,000 cases reported in 2010. Although up to 10% of these cases occur in familial patterns, the hereditary basis for predisposition in the vast majority of affected families is unknown. We used next-generation sequencing, including whole-genome and whole-exome analyses, and identified heterozygous, constitutional, ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) gene mutations in 2 kindreds with familial pancreatic cancer. Mutations segregated with disease in both kindreds and tumor analysis demonstrated LOH of the wild-type allele. By using sequence analysis of an additional 166 familial pancreatic cancer probands, we identified 4 additional patients with deleterious mutations in the ATM gene, whereas we identified no deleterious mutations in 190 spouse controls (P = 0.046). When we considered only the mostly severely affected families with 3 or more pancreatic cancer cases, 4 deleterious mutations were found in 87 families (P = 0.009). Our results indicate that inherited ATM mutations play an important role in familial pancreatic cancer predisposition.

Significance: The genes responsible for the majority of cases of familial pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma are unknown. We here identify ATM as a predisposition gene for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Our results have important implications for the management of patients in affected families and illustrate the power of genome-wide sequencing to identify the basis of familial cancer syndromes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Ataxia Telangiectasia / genetics*
  • Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins
  • Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / genetics*
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / genetics*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • Exome
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Genome-Wide Association Study
  • Humans
  • Mutation
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Pedigree
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics*
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / genetics*

Substances

  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins
  • ATM protein, human
  • Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases