Multiple primary malignancies associated with a germline SMARCB1 pathogenic variant

Fam Cancer. 2019 Oct;18(4):445-449. doi: 10.1007/s10689-019-00138-4.

Abstract

A 51-year old presented with a 6-month history of increasing pelvic/lower back pain with nocturnal waking and episodes of anorexia and vomiting. Examination revealed right torticollis and Horner's syndrome, and a large abdominal mass arising from the pelvis. Magnetic resonance and positron emission tomography imaging revealed (A) a 14 cm heterogeneous enhancing mass, abutting the left kidney with standardised uptake value max = 2.9, (B) a large heterogeneous enhancing pelvic mass (C) mesenteric adenopathy standardised uptake value max = 10.3 and (D) 6 cm right lung apex mass standardised uptake value max = 4.3. Computerised tomography-guided biopsy of lesion A was reported as neurofibroma with occasional atypia, lesion B a benign uterine leiomyoma and lesion C follicular lymphoma world health organisation Grade 2. Although she had been given the diagnosis of Neurofibromatosis Type-1 (NF1) 25-years previously following removal of an intradural extramedullary schwannoma she had no cutaneous stigmata of NF1. Genetic analysis of blood lymphocyte DNA identified a pathogenic variant in SMARCB1 confirming a diagnosis of schwannomatosis. Following 6-months chemotherapy for lymphoma, surgery was performed to remove lesion A. Histology revealed a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour with areas of low and high-grade change. An incidental, well-differentiated small bowel neuroendocrine carcinoma was also excised. Close surveillance continues with no recurrence after 6 years. This case study describes a novel finding of three separate synchronous primary malignancies in a patient with schwannomatosis and a proven SMARCB1 pathogenic variant.

Keywords: Follicular lymphoma; MPNST; Malignancy; Neurofibromatosis type 1; Neurofibromatosis type 2; SMARCB1; Schwannomatosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Hemangioma / genetics*
  • Hemangioma / therapy
  • Horner Syndrome / diagnostic imaging
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / complications
  • Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / genetics*
  • Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / pathology
  • Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / therapy
  • Neurilemmoma / complications
  • Neurilemmoma / genetics*
  • Neurilemmoma / pathology
  • Neurilemmoma / therapy
  • Neurofibromatoses / complications
  • Neurofibromatoses / genetics*
  • Neurofibromatoses / therapy
  • Neurofibrosarcoma / genetics*
  • Neurofibrosarcoma / pathology
  • Neurofibrosarcoma / therapy
  • Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / genetics
  • Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / therapy
  • SMARCB1 Protein / genetics*
  • Skin Neoplasms / complications
  • Skin Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Skin Neoplasms / therapy

Substances

  • SMARCB1 Protein
  • SMARCB1 protein, human

Supplementary concepts

  • Schwannomatosis