The Clinical and Molecular Profile of Lung Cancer Patients Harboring the TP53 R337H Germline Variant in a Brazilian Cancer Center: The Possible Mechanism of Carcinogenesis

Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Oct 10;24(20):15035. doi: 10.3390/ijms242015035.

Abstract

In southern and southeastern Brazil, the TP53 founder variant c.1010G>A (R337H) has been previously documented with a prevalence of 0.3% within the general population and linked to a heightened incidence of lung adenocarcinomas (LUADs). In the present investigation, we cover clinical and molecular characterizations of lung cancer patients from the Brazilian Li-Fraumeni Syndrome Study (BLISS) database. Among the 175 diagnosed malignant neoplasms, 28 (16%) were classified as LUADs, predominantly occurring in females (68%), aged above 50 years, and never-smokers (78.6%). Significantly, LUADs manifested as the initial clinical presentation of Li-Fraumeni Syndrome in 78.6% of cases. Molecular profiling was available for 20 patients, with 14 (70%) revealing EGFR family alterations. In total, 23 alterations in cancer driver genes were identified, comprising 7 actionable mutations and 4 linked to resistance against systemic treatments. In conclusion, the carriers of TP53 R337H demonstrate a predisposition to LUAD development. Furthermore, our results indicate that environmental pollution potentially impacts the carcinogenesis of lung tumors in the carriers of TP53 R337H.

Keywords: Li-Fraumeni syndrome; TP53 R337H variant; environmental pollution; lung adenocarcinoma; lung cancer; molecular profiling; particulate matter.

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma of Lung* / genetics
  • Aged
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • Carcinogenesis
  • Female
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Germ Cells / pathology
  • Germ-Line Mutation
  • Humans
  • Li-Fraumeni Syndrome* / genetics
  • Lung Neoplasms* / epidemiology
  • Lung Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / genetics

Substances

  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
  • TP53 protein, human

Grants and funding

This research was funded by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)—grant number PQ 308785/2020-7 to Achatz, M.I.