U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Format

Send to:

Choose Destination

Fanconi anemia complementation group A(FA; FANCA)

MedGen UID:
483333
Concept ID:
C3469521
Disease or Syndrome
Synonym: Fanconi anemia, group A
 
Gene (location): FANCA (16q24.3)
 
Monarch Initiative: MONDO:0009215
OMIM®: 227650

Disease characteristics

Excerpted from the GeneReview: Fanconi Anemia
Fanconi anemia (FA) is characterized by physical abnormalities, bone marrow failure, and increased risk for malignancy. Physical abnormalities, present in approximately 75% of affected individuals, include one or more of the following: short stature, abnormal skin pigmentation, skeletal malformations of the upper and/or lower limbs, microcephaly, and ophthalmic and genitourinary tract anomalies. Progressive bone marrow failure with pancytopenia typically presents in the first decade, often initially with thrombocytopenia or leukopenia. The incidence of acute myeloid leukemia is 13% by age 50 years. Solid tumors – particularly of the head and neck, skin, and genitourinary tract – are more common in individuals with FA. [from GeneReviews]
Authors:
Parinda A Mehta  |  Christen Ebens   view full author information

Additional descriptions

From OMIM
Fanconi anemia is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorder that causes genomic instability. Characteristic clinical features include developmental abnormalities in major organ systems, early-onset bone marrow failure, and a high predisposition to cancer. The cellular hallmark of FA is hypersensitivity to DNA crosslinking agents and high frequency of chromosomal aberrations pointing to a defect in DNA repair (summary by Deakyne and Mazin, 2011). Soulier et al. (2005) noted that the FANCA, -C, -E, -F, -G, and -L proteins are part of a nuclear multiprotein core complex which triggers activating monoubiquitination of the FANCD2 protein during S phase of the growth cycle and after exposure to DNA crosslinking agents. The FA/BRCA pathway is involved in the repair of DNA damage. Some cases of Fanconi anemia have presented with a VACTERL (192350) or VACTERL-H (276950, 314390) phenotype. In a group of 27 patients with Fanconi anemia group D1 (605724) due to biallelic mutations in the BRCA2 gene (600185), Alter et al. (2007) found that 5 patients had 3 or more VATER association anomalies and 1 was diagnosed with VACTERL-H. A VATER phenotype has also been reported in Fanconi anemia of complementation groups A, C (227645), E (600901), F (603467), and G (602956); VACTERL-H has also been described in patients with FANCB (300515) mutations (McCauley et al., 2011). Savage et al. (2015) added patients with FANCI (609053) to this list and stated that patients with FANCD2 (227646) and FANCL (614083) had also been reported to have features of VACTERL association. Genetic Heterogeneity of Fanconi Anemia Other Fanconi anemia complementation groups include FANCB (300514), caused by mutation in the FANCB (300515) on chromosome Xp22; FANCC (227645), caused by mutation in the FANCC (613899) on chromosome 9q22; FANCD1 (605724), caused by mutation in the BRCA2 (600185) on chromosome 13q12; FANCD2 (227646), caused by mutation in the FANCD2 gene (613984) on chromosome 3p25; FANCE (600901), caused by mutation in the FANCE gene (613976) on chromosome 6p21; FANCF (603467), caused by mutation in the FANCF gene (613897) on chromosome 11p15; FANCG (614082), caused by mutation in the XRCC9 gene (FANCG; 602956) on chromosome 9p13; FANCI (609053), caused by mutation in the FANCI gene (611360) on chromosome 15q26; FANCJ (609054), caused by mutation in the BRIP1 gene (605882) on chromosome 17q22; FANCL (614083), caused by mutation in the PHF9 gene (FANCL; 608111) on chromosome 2p16; FANCN (610832), caused by mutation in the PALB2 gene (610355) on chromosome 16p12; FANCO (613390), caused by mutation in the RAD51C (602774) on chromosome 17q22; FANCP (613951), caused by mutation in the SLX4 gene (613278) on chromosome 16p13; FANCQ (615272), caused by mutation in the ERCC4 gene (133520) on chromosome 16p13; FANCR (617244), caused by mutation in the RAD51 gene (179617) on chromosome 15q15; FANCS (617883), caused by mutation in the BRCA1 gene (113705) on chromosome 17q21; FANCT (616435), caused by mutation in the UBE2T gene (610538) on chromosome 1q31; FANCU (617247), caused by mutation in the XRCC2 gene (600375) on chromosome 7q36; FANCV (617243), caused by mutation in the MAD2L2 gene (604094) on chromosome 1p36; and FANCW (617784), caused by mutation in the RFWD3 gene (614151) on chromosome 16q23. The previously designated FANCH complementation group (Joenje et al., 1997) was found by Joenje et al. (2000) to be the same as FANCA. A patient originally reported to have Fanconi anemia of complementation group M (FANCM) due to mutation in the FAAP250 gene (609644) by Meetei et al. (2005) was subsequently found by Singh et al. (2009) to have FANCA.  http://www.omim.org/entry/227650
From MedlinePlus Genetics
Fanconi anemia is a condition that affects many parts of the body. People with this condition may have bone marrow failure, physical abnormalities, organ defects, and an increased risk of certain cancers.

The major function of bone marrow is to produce new blood cells. These include red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the body's tissues; white blood cells, which fight infections; and platelets, which are necessary for normal blood clotting. Approximately 90 percent of people with Fanconi anemia have impaired bone marrow function that leads to a decrease in the production of all blood cells (aplastic anemia). Affected individuals experience extreme tiredness (fatigue) due to low numbers of red blood cells (anemia), frequent infections due to low numbers of white blood cells (neutropenia), and clotting problems due to low numbers of platelets (thrombocytopenia). People with Fanconi anemia may also develop myelodysplastic syndrome, a condition in which immature blood cells fail to develop normally.

More than half of people with Fanconi anemia have physical abnormalities. These abnormalities can involve irregular skin coloring such as unusually light-colored skin (hypopigmentation) or café-au-lait spots, which are flat patches on the skin that are darker than the surrounding area. Other possible symptoms of Fanconi anemia include malformed thumbs or forearms and other skeletal problems including short stature; malformed or absent kidneys and other defects of the urinary tract; gastrointestinal abnormalities; heart defects; eye abnormalities such as small or abnormally shaped eyes; and malformed ears and hearing loss. People with this condition may have abnormal genitalia or malformations of the reproductive system. As a result, most affected males and about half of affected females cannot have biological children (are infertile). Additional signs and symptoms can include abnormalities of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system), including increased fluid in the center of the brain (hydrocephalus) or an unusually small head size (microcephaly).

Individuals with Fanconi anemia have an increased risk of developing a cancer of blood-forming cells in the bone marrow called acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or tumors of the head, neck, skin, gastrointestinal system, or genital tract. The likelihood of developing one of these cancers in people with Fanconi anemia is between 10 and 30 percent.  https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/fanconi-anemia

Clinical features

From HPO
Leukemia
MedGen UID:
9725
Concept ID:
C0023418
Neoplastic Process
A cancer of the blood and bone marrow characterized by an abnormal proliferation of leukocytes.
Cryptorchidism
MedGen UID:
8192
Concept ID:
C0010417
Congenital Abnormality
Cryptorchidism, or failure of testicular descent, is a common human congenital abnormality with a multifactorial etiology that likely reflects the involvement of endocrine, environmental, and hereditary factors. Cryptorchidism can result in infertility and increases risk for testicular tumors. Testicular descent from abdomen to scrotum occurs in 2 distinct phases: the transabdominal phase and the inguinoscrotal phase (summary by Gorlov et al., 2002).
Male infertility
MedGen UID:
5796
Concept ID:
C0021364
Disease or Syndrome
The inability of the male to effect fertilization of an ovum after a specified period of unprotected intercourse. Male sterility is permanent infertility.
Horseshoe kidney
MedGen UID:
65140
Concept ID:
C0221353
Congenital Abnormality
A connection of the right and left kidney by an isthmus of functioning renal parenchyma or fibrous tissue that crosses the midline.
Ectopic kidney
MedGen UID:
68661
Concept ID:
C0238207
Congenital Abnormality
A developmental defect in which a kidney is located in an abnormal anatomic position.
Renal agenesis
MedGen UID:
154237
Concept ID:
C0542519
Congenital Abnormality
Agenesis, that is, failure of the kidney to develop during embryogenesis and development.
Duplicated collecting system
MedGen UID:
346936
Concept ID:
C1858565
Anatomical Abnormality
A duplication of the collecting system of the kidney, defined as a kidney with two (instead of, normally, one) pyelocaliceal systems. The pyelocaliceal system is comprised of the renal pelvis and calices. The duplicated renal collecting system can be associated with a single ureter or with double ureters. In the latter case, the two ureters empty separately into the bladder or fuse to form a single ureteral orifice.
Abnormal renal morphology
MedGen UID:
1633142
Concept ID:
C4551596
Anatomical Abnormality
Any structural anomaly of the kidney.
Short thumb
MedGen UID:
98469
Concept ID:
C0431890
Congenital Abnormality
Hypoplasia (congenital reduction in size) of the thumb.
Absent radius
MedGen UID:
235613
Concept ID:
C1405984
Congenital Abnormality
Missing radius bone associated with congenital failure of development.
Absent thumb
MedGen UID:
480441
Concept ID:
C3278811
Finding
Absent thumb, i.e., the absence of both phalanges of a thumb and the associated soft tissues.
Complete duplication of thumb phalanx
MedGen UID:
767638
Concept ID:
C3554724
Finding
A complete duplication affecting one or more of the phalanges of the thumb. As opposed to a partial duplication were there is still a variable degree of fusion between the duplicated bones, a complete duplication leads to two separate bones appearing side to side (radio-ulnar axis) as seen on x-rays. A duplication leading to an accessory bone appearing in the proximo-distal axis on x-rays, this is actually a different entity called a Pseudoepiphyses (see according terms) sometimes also referred to as Hyperphalangism.
Abnormal heart morphology
MedGen UID:
6748
Concept ID:
C0018798
Congenital Abnormality
Any structural anomaly of the heart.
Abnormal cardiovascular system morphology
MedGen UID:
892473
Concept ID:
C4049796
Anatomical Abnormality
Any structural anomaly of the heart and blood vessels.
Small for gestational age
MedGen UID:
65920
Concept ID:
C0235991
Finding
Smaller than normal size according to sex and gestational age related norms, defined as a weight below the 10th percentile for the gestational age.
Short stature
MedGen UID:
87607
Concept ID:
C0349588
Finding
A height below that which is expected according to age and gender norms. Although there is no universally accepted definition of short stature, many refer to "short stature" as height more than 2 standard deviations below the mean for age and gender (or below the 3rd percentile for age and gender dependent norms).
Hearing impairment
MedGen UID:
235586
Concept ID:
C1384666
Disease or Syndrome
A decreased magnitude of the sensory perception of sound.
Intellectual disability
MedGen UID:
811461
Concept ID:
C3714756
Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
Intellectual disability, previously referred to as mental retardation, is characterized by subnormal intellectual functioning that occurs during the developmental period. It is defined by an IQ score below 70.
Anemia
MedGen UID:
1526
Concept ID:
C0002871
Disease or Syndrome
A reduction in erythrocytes volume or hemoglobin concentration.
Pancytopenia
MedGen UID:
18281
Concept ID:
C0030312
Disease or Syndrome
An abnormal reduction in numbers of all blood cell types (red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets).
Thrombocytopenia
MedGen UID:
52737
Concept ID:
C0040034
Disease or Syndrome
A reduction in the number of circulating thrombocytes.
Reticulocytopenia
MedGen UID:
167812
Concept ID:
C0858867
Finding
A reduced number of reticulocytes in the peripheral blood.
Microcephaly
MedGen UID:
1644158
Concept ID:
C4551563
Finding
Head circumference below 2 standard deviations below the mean for age and gender.
Neutropenia
MedGen UID:
163121
Concept ID:
C0853697
Finding
An abnormally low number of neutrophils in the peripheral blood.
Cafe-au-lait spot
MedGen UID:
113157
Concept ID:
C0221263
Finding
Cafe-au-lait spots are hyperpigmented lesions that can vary in color from light brown to dark brown with smooth borders and having a size of 1.5 cm or more in adults and 0.5 cm or more in children.
Bruising susceptibility
MedGen UID:
140849
Concept ID:
C0423798
Finding
An ecchymosis (bruise) refers to the skin discoloration caused by the escape of blood into the tissues from ruptured blood vessels. This term refers to an abnormally increased susceptibility to bruising. The corresponding phenotypic abnormality is generally elicited on medical history as a report of frequent ecchymoses or bruising without adequate trauma.
Abnormality of skin pigmentation
MedGen UID:
224697
Concept ID:
C1260926
Finding
An abnormality of the pigmentation of the skin.
Anemic pallor
MedGen UID:
871323
Concept ID:
C4025811
Sign or Symptom
A type of pallor that is secondary to the presence of anemia.
Hypergonadotropic hypogonadism
MedGen UID:
184926
Concept ID:
C0948896
Disease or Syndrome
Reduced function of the gonads (testes in males or ovaries in females) associated with excess pituitary gonadotropin secretion and resulting in delayed sexual development and growth delay.
Microphthalmia
MedGen UID:
10033
Concept ID:
C0026010
Congenital Abnormality
Microphthalmia is an eye abnormality that arises before birth. In this condition, one or both eyeballs are abnormally small. In some affected individuals, the eyeball may appear to be completely missing; however, even in these cases some remaining eye tissue is generally present. Such severe microphthalmia should be distinguished from another condition called anophthalmia, in which no eyeball forms at all. However, the terms anophthalmia and severe microphthalmia are often used interchangeably. Microphthalmia may or may not result in significant vision loss.\n\nPeople with microphthalmia may also have a condition called coloboma. Colobomas are missing pieces of tissue in structures that form the eye. They may appear as notches or gaps in the colored part of the eye called the iris; the retina, which is the specialized light-sensitive tissue that lines the back of the eye; the blood vessel layer under the retina called the choroid; or in the optic nerves, which carry information from the eyes to the brain. Colobomas may be present in one or both eyes and, depending on their size and location, can affect a person's vision.\n\nPeople with microphthalmia may also have other eye abnormalities, including clouding of the lens of the eye (cataract) and a narrowed opening of the eye (narrowed palpebral fissure). Additionally, affected individuals may have an abnormality called microcornea, in which the clear front covering of the eye (cornea) is small and abnormally curved.\n\nBetween one-third and one-half of affected individuals have microphthalmia as part of a syndrome that affects other organs and tissues in the body. These forms of the condition are described as syndromic. When microphthalmia occurs by itself, it is described as nonsyndromic or isolated.
Strabismus
MedGen UID:
21337
Concept ID:
C0038379
Disease or Syndrome
A misalignment of the eyes so that the visual axes deviate from bifoveal fixation. The classification of strabismus may be based on a number of features including the relative position of the eyes, whether the deviation is latent or manifest, intermittent or constant, concomitant or otherwise and according to the age of onset and the relevance of any associated refractive error.
Chromosomal breakage induced by crosslinking agents
MedGen UID:
867372
Concept ID:
C4021737
Finding
Increased amount of chromosomal breaks in cultured blood lymphocytes or other cells induced by treatment with DNA cross-linking agents such as diepoxybutane and mitomycin C.
Prolonged G2 phase of cell cycle
MedGen UID:
871165
Concept ID:
C4025639
Cell or Molecular Dysfunction
Deficient excision of UV-induced pyrimidine dimers in DNA
MedGen UID:
871166
Concept ID:
C4025640
Finding

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Karasu ME, Jahnke L, Joseph BJ, Amerzhanova Y, Mironov A, Shu X, Schröder MS, Gvozdenovic A, Sala I, Zavolan M, Jonas S, Corn JE
Mol Cell 2024 Jul 25;84(14):2634-2647.e9. Epub 2024 Jul 3 doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.06.011. PMID: 38964321
Shah A, George M, Dhangar S, Rajendran A, Mohan S, Vundinti BR
Mol Biol Rep 2021 Jan;48(1):585-593. Epub 2021 Jan 4 doi: 10.1007/s11033-020-06101-2. PMID: 33394227
Kimble DC, Lach FP, Gregg SQ, Donovan FX, Flynn EK, Kamat A, Young A, Vemulapalli M, Thomas JW, Mullikin JC, Auerbach AD, Smogorzewska A, Chandrasekharappa SC
Hum Mutat 2018 Feb;39(2):237-254. Epub 2017 Nov 22 doi: 10.1002/humu.23366. PMID: 29098742Free PMC Article
Castella M, Pujol R, Callén E, Trujillo JP, Casado JA, Gille H, Lach FP, Auerbach AD, Schindler D, Benítez J, Porto B, Ferro T, Muñoz A, Sevilla J, Madero L, Cela E, Beléndez C, de Heredia CD, Olivé T, de Toledo JS, Badell I, Torrent M, Estella J, Dasí A, Rodríguez-Villa A, Gómez P, Barbot J, Tapia M, Molinés A, Figuera A, Bueren JA, Surrallés J
Blood 2011 Apr 7;117(14):3759-69. Epub 2011 Jan 27 doi: 10.1182/blood-2010-08-299917. PMID: 21273304Free PMC Article
Grompe M, D'Andrea A
Hum Mol Genet 2001 Oct 1;10(20):2253-9. doi: 10.1093/hmg/10.20.2253. PMID: 11673408

Diagnosis

Shah A, George M, Dhangar S, Rajendran A, Mohan S, Vundinti BR
Mol Biol Rep 2021 Jan;48(1):585-593. Epub 2021 Jan 4 doi: 10.1007/s11033-020-06101-2. PMID: 33394227
Steinberg-Shemer O, Goldberg TA, Yacobovich J, Levin C, Koren A, Revel-Vilk S, Ben-Ami T, Kuperman AA, Zemer VS, Toren A, Kapelushnik J, Ben-Barak A, Miskin H, Krasnov T, Noy-Lotan S, Dgany O, Tamary H
Haematologica 2020 Jul;105(7):1825-1834. Epub 2019 Sep 26 doi: 10.3324/haematol.2019.222877. PMID: 31558676Free PMC Article
Walden H, Deans AJ
Annu Rev Biophys 2014;43:257-78. doi: 10.1146/annurev-biophys-051013-022737. PMID: 24773018
Castella M, Pujol R, Callén E, Trujillo JP, Casado JA, Gille H, Lach FP, Auerbach AD, Schindler D, Benítez J, Porto B, Ferro T, Muñoz A, Sevilla J, Madero L, Cela E, Beléndez C, de Heredia CD, Olivé T, de Toledo JS, Badell I, Torrent M, Estella J, Dasí A, Rodríguez-Villa A, Gómez P, Barbot J, Tapia M, Molinés A, Figuera A, Bueren JA, Surrallés J
Blood 2011 Apr 7;117(14):3759-69. Epub 2011 Jan 27 doi: 10.1182/blood-2010-08-299917. PMID: 21273304Free PMC Article
D'Andrea AD, Grompe M
Nat Rev Cancer 2003 Jan;3(1):23-34. doi: 10.1038/nrc970. PMID: 12509764

Therapy

Renaudin X, Rosselli F
Genes (Basel) 2020 May 25;11(5) doi: 10.3390/genes11050585. PMID: 32466131Free PMC Article
Adair JE, Chandrasekaran D, Sghia-Hughes G, Haworth KG, Woolfrey AE, Burroughs LM, Choi GY, Becker PS, Kiem HP
Haematologica 2018 Nov;103(11):1806-1814. Epub 2018 Jul 5 doi: 10.3324/haematol.2018.194571. PMID: 29976742Free PMC Article
Li J, Sipple J, Maynard S, Mehta PA, Rose SR, Davies SM, Pang Q
Antioxid Redox Signal 2012 Oct 15;17(8):1083-98. Epub 2012 Jun 25 doi: 10.1089/ars.2011.4417. PMID: 22482891Free PMC Article
Tolar J, Becker PS, Clapp DW, Hanenberg H, de Heredia CD, Kiem HP, Navarro S, Qasba P, Rio P, Schmidt M, Sevilla J, Verhoeyen E, Thrasher AJ, Bueren J
Hum Gene Ther 2012 Feb;23(2):141-4. doi: 10.1089/hum.2011.237. PMID: 22248350Free PMC Article
Kelly PF, Radtke S, von Kalle C, Balcik B, Bohn K, Mueller R, Schuesler T, Haren M, Reeves L, Cancelas JA, Leemhuis T, Harris R, Auerbach AD, Smith FO, Davies SM, Williams DA
Mol Ther 2007 Jan;15(1):211-9. doi: 10.1038/sj.mt.6300033. PMID: 17164793

Prognosis

Huang FD, Zhong YP, Sun GY, Xu QJ, Xing ZY, Chen KH, Liao LS, Dong MY
Dig Dis Sci 2024 Mar;69(3):1035-1054. Epub 2024 Jan 28 doi: 10.1007/s10620-024-08282-3. PMID: 38282187
Ramanagoudr-Bhojappa R, Tryon R, Lach FP, Donovan FX, Maxwell R, Rosenberg A, MacMillan ML, Wagner JE, Auerbach AD, Smogorzewska A, Chandrasekharappa SC
Blood Adv 2024 Feb 27;8(4):899-908. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2023011888. PMID: 38191666Free PMC Article
Shah A, George M, Dhangar S, Rajendran A, Mohan S, Vundinti BR
Mol Biol Rep 2021 Jan;48(1):585-593. Epub 2021 Jan 4 doi: 10.1007/s11033-020-06101-2. PMID: 33394227
Farah RA, Nair P, Koueik J, Yammine T, Khalifeh H, Korban R, Collet A, Khayat C, Dubois-Denghien C, Chouery E, Blanluet M, El-Hayek S, Stoppa-Lyonnet D, Megarbane A
J Pediatr Hematol Oncol 2021 Jul 1;43(5):e727-e735. doi: 10.1097/MPH.0000000000001909. PMID: 32947577
Kimble DC, Lach FP, Gregg SQ, Donovan FX, Flynn EK, Kamat A, Young A, Vemulapalli M, Thomas JW, Mullikin JC, Auerbach AD, Smogorzewska A, Chandrasekharappa SC
Hum Mutat 2018 Feb;39(2):237-254. Epub 2017 Nov 22 doi: 10.1002/humu.23366. PMID: 29098742Free PMC Article

Clinical prediction guides

Ramanagoudr-Bhojappa R, Tryon R, Lach FP, Donovan FX, Maxwell R, Rosenberg A, MacMillan ML, Wagner JE, Auerbach AD, Smogorzewska A, Chandrasekharappa SC
Blood Adv 2024 Feb 27;8(4):899-908. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2023011888. PMID: 38191666Free PMC Article
Shah A, George M, Dhangar S, Rajendran A, Mohan S, Vundinti BR
Mol Biol Rep 2021 Jan;48(1):585-593. Epub 2021 Jan 4 doi: 10.1007/s11033-020-06101-2. PMID: 33394227
Kimble DC, Lach FP, Gregg SQ, Donovan FX, Flynn EK, Kamat A, Young A, Vemulapalli M, Thomas JW, Mullikin JC, Auerbach AD, Smogorzewska A, Chandrasekharappa SC
Hum Mutat 2018 Feb;39(2):237-254. Epub 2017 Nov 22 doi: 10.1002/humu.23366. PMID: 29098742Free PMC Article
Mantere T, Haanpää M, Hanenberg H, Schleutker J, Kallioniemi A, Kähkönen M, Parto K, Avela K, Aittomäki K, von Koskull H, Hartikainen JM, Kosma VM, Laasanen SL, Mannermaa A, Pylkäs K, Winqvist R
Clin Genet 2015 Jul;88(1):68-73. Epub 2014 Jul 30 doi: 10.1111/cge.12447. PMID: 24989076
Castella M, Pujol R, Callén E, Trujillo JP, Casado JA, Gille H, Lach FP, Auerbach AD, Schindler D, Benítez J, Porto B, Ferro T, Muñoz A, Sevilla J, Madero L, Cela E, Beléndez C, de Heredia CD, Olivé T, de Toledo JS, Badell I, Torrent M, Estella J, Dasí A, Rodríguez-Villa A, Gómez P, Barbot J, Tapia M, Molinés A, Figuera A, Bueren JA, Surrallés J
Blood 2011 Apr 7;117(14):3759-69. Epub 2011 Jan 27 doi: 10.1182/blood-2010-08-299917. PMID: 21273304Free PMC Article

Supplemental Content

Recent activity

Your browsing activity is empty.

Activity recording is turned off.

Turn recording back on

See more...