Publications

468 Publications visible to you, out of a total of 468

Abstract (Expand)

BACKGROUND The use of next-generation sequencing approaches in clinical diagnostics has led to a tremendous increase in data and a vast number of variants of uncertain significance that requiree interpretation. Therefore, prediction of the effects of missense mutations using in silico tools has become a frequently used approach. Aim of this study was to assess the reliability of in silico prediction as a basis for clinical decision making in the context of hereditary breast and/or ovarian cancer. METHODS We tested the performance of four prediction tools (Align-GVGD, SIFT, PolyPhen-2, MutationTaster2) using a set of 236 BRCA1/2 missense variants that had previously been classified by expert committees. However, a major pitfall in the creation of a reliable evaluation set for our purpose is the generally accepted classification of BRCA1/2 missense variants using the multifactorial likelihood model, which is partially based on Align-GVGD results. To overcome this drawback we identified 161 variants whose classification is independent of any previous in silico prediction. In addition to the performance as stand-alone tools we examined the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) of combined approaches. RESULTS PolyPhen-2 achieved the lowest sensitivity (0.67), specificity (0.67), accuracy (0.67) and MCC (0.39). Align-GVGD achieved the highest values of specificity (0.92), accuracy (0.92) and MCC (0.73), but was outperformed regarding its sensitivity (0.90) by SIFT (1.00) and MutationTaster2 (1.00). All tools suffered from poor specificities, resulting in an unacceptable proportion of false positive results in a clinical setting. This shortcoming could not be bypassed by combination of these tools. In the best case scenario, 138 families would be affected by the misclassification of neutral variants within the cohort of patients of the German Consortium for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer. CONCLUSION We show that due to low specificities state-of-the-art in silico prediction tools are not suitable to predict pathogenicity of variants of uncertain significance in BRCA1/2. Thus, clinical consequences should never be based solely on in silico forecasts. However, our data suggests that SIFT and MutationTaster2 could be suitable to predict benignity, as both tools did not result in false negative predictions in our analysis.

Authors: Corinna Ernst, Eric Hahnen, Christoph Engel, Michael Nothnagel, Jonas Weber, Rita K. Schmutzler, Jan Hauke

Date Published: 1st Dec 2018

Publication Type: Journal article

Human Diseases: hereditary breast ovarian cancer syndrome

Abstract (Expand)

BACKGROUND There is no international consensus up to which age women with a diagnosis of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and no family history of breast or ovarian cancer should be offered geneticc testing for germline BRCA1 and BRCA2 (gBRCA) mutations. Here, we explored the association of age at TNBC diagnosis with the prevalence of pathogenic gBRCA mutations in this patient group. METHODS The study comprised 802 women (median age 40 years, range 19-76) with oestrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 negative breast cancers, who had no relatives with breast or ovarian cancer. All women were tested for pathogenic gBRCA mutations. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the association between age at TNBC diagnosis and the presence of a pathogenic gBRCA mutation. RESULTS A total of 127 women with TNBC (15.8%) were gBRCA mutation carriers (BRCA1: n = 118, 14.7%; BRCA2: n = 9, 1.1%). The mutation prevalence was 32.9% in the age group 20-29 years compared to 6.9% in the age group 60-69 years. Logistic regression analysis revealed a significant increase of mutation frequency with decreasing age at diagnosis (odds ratio 1.87 per 10 year decrease, 95%CI 1.50-2.32, p \textless 0.001). gBRCA mutation risk was predicted to be \textgreater 10% for women diagnosed below approximately 50 years. CONCLUSIONS Based on the general understanding that a heterozygous mutation probability of 10% or greater justifies gBRCA mutation screening, women with TNBC diagnosed before the age of 50 years and no familial history of breast and ovarian cancer should be tested for gBRCA mutations. In Germany, this would concern approximately 880 women with newly diagnosed TNBC per year, of whom approximately 150 are expected to be identified as carriers of a pathogenic gBRCA mutation.

Authors: Christoph Engel, Kerstin Rhiem, Eric Hahnen, Sibylle Loibl, Karsten E. Weber, Sabine Seiler, Silke Zachariae, Jan Hauke, Barbara Wappenschmidt, Anke Waha, Britta Blümcke, Marion Kiechle, Alfons Meindl, Dieter Niederacher, Claus R. Bartram, Dorothee Speiser, Brigitte Schlegelberger, Norbert Arnold, Peter Wieacker, Elena Leinert, Andrea Gehrig, Susanne Briest, Karin Kast, Olaf Riess, Günter Emons, Bernhard H. F. Weber, Jutta Engel, Rita K. Schmutzler

Date Published: 1st Dec 2018

Publication Type: Journal article

Human Diseases: hereditary breast ovarian cancer syndrome

Abstract (Expand)

PURPOSE: The Sniffin' Sticks Screening 12 test is a test of olfactory performance based on pen-like odor dispensing devices. The aims of this study were to analyze the performance of this test in a general population sample and to explore associations between olfactory dysfunction and quality of life. METHODS: A large community sample (n = 7267) completed the Sniffin' Sticks Screening 12 test and several questionnaires measuring quality of life, anxiety, dispositional optimism, social support, and satisfaction with life. RESULTS: According to the criteria recommended by the test manufacturer, 5.1% of the participants were anosmic (score </= 6), 52.4% were dysosmic (7 </= score </= 10), and 42.5% were normosmic (score >/= 11). While frequencies of correct identification differed between the 12 sticks, all sticks contributed positively to the test results. The associations between olfactory functioning and quality of life variables were negligible. In the multivariate analyses, none of the associations reached the 1% significance level. CONCLUSIONS: While studies with patients in otorhinolaryngological clinics often report substantial detriments to their quality of life in relation to olfactory dysfunction, the present epidemiological study cannot confirm this association for the general population.

Authors: A. Hinz, T. Luck, S. G. Riedel-Heller, P. Y. Herzberg, C. Rolffs, K. Wirkner, C. Engel

Date Published: 21st Nov 2018

Publication Type: Not specified

Abstract

Not specified

Authors: M. Kesselmeier, A. Scherag

Date Published: 15th Nov 2018

Publication Type: Journal article

Abstract (Expand)

Background Full-term pregnancy (FTP) is associated with a reduced breast cancer (BC) risk over time, but women are at increased BC risk in the immediate years following an FTP. No large prospectivee studies, however, have examined whether the number and timing of pregnancies are associated with BC risk for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers. Methods Using weighted and time-varying Cox proportional hazards models, we investigated whether reproductive events are associated with BC risk for mutation carriers using a retrospective cohort (5707 BRCA1 and 3525 BRCA2 mutation carriers) and a prospective cohort (2276 BRCA1 and 1610 BRCA2 mutation carriers), separately for each cohort and the combined prospective and retrospective cohort. Results For BRCA1 mutation carriers, there was no overall association with parity compared with nulliparity (combined hazard ratio [HRc] = 0.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.83 to 1.18). Relative to being uniparous, an increased number of FTPs was associated with decreased BC risk (HRc = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.69 to 0.91; HRc = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.59 to 0.82; HRc = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.40 to 0.63, for 2, 3, and \geq4 FTPs, respectively, Ptrend \textless .0001) and increasing duration of breastfeeding was associated with decreased BC risk (combined cohort Ptrend = .0003). Relative to being nulliparous, uniparous BRCA1 mutation carriers were at increased BC risk in the prospective analysis (prospective hazard ration [HRp] = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.09 to 2.62). For BRCA2 mutation carriers, being parous was associated with a 30% increase in BC risk (HRc = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.05 to 1.69), and there was no apparent decrease in risk associated with multiparity except for having at least 4 FTPs vs. 1 FTP (HRc = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.54 to 0.98). Conclusions These findings suggest differential associations with parity between BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers with higher risk for uniparous BRCA1 carriers and parous BRCA2 carriers.

Authors: Mary Beth Terry, Yuyan Liao, Karin Kast, Antonis C. Antoniou, Jasmine A. McDonald, Thea M. Mooij, Christoph Engel, Catherine Nogues, Bruno Buecher, Véronique Mari, Jessica Moretta-Serra, Laurence Gladieff, Elisabeth Luporsi, Daniel Barrowdale, Debra Frost, Alex Henderson, Carole Brewer, D. Gareth Evans, Diana Eccles, Jackie Cook, Kai-Ren Ong, Louise Izatt, Munaza Ahmed, Patrick J. Morrison, Charlotte J. Dommering, Jan C. Oosterwijk, Margreet G. E. M. Ausems, Mieke Kriege, Saundra S. Buys, Irene L. Andrulis, Esther M. John, Mary Daly, Michael Friedlander, Sue Anne McLachlan, Ana Osorio, Trinidad Caldes, Anna Jakubowska, Jacques Simard, Christian F. Singer, Yen Tan, Edith Olah, Marie Navratilova, Lenka Foretova, Anne-Marie Gerdes, Marie-José Roos-Blom, Brita Arver, Håkan Olsson, Rita K. Schmutzler, John L. Hopper, Flora E. van Leeuwen, David Goldgar, Roger L. Milne, Douglas F. Easton, Matti A. Rookus, Nadine Andrieu

Date Published: 1st Oct 2018

Publication Type: Journal article

Human Diseases: hereditary breast ovarian cancer syndrome

Abstract (Expand)

3D-body scanning anthropometry is a suitable method for characterization of physiological development of children and adolescents, and for understanding onset and progression of disorders like overweight and obesity. Here we present a novel body typing approach to describe and to interpret longitudinal 3D-body scanning data of more than 800 children and adolescents measured in up to four follow-ups in intervals of 1 year, referring to an age range between 6 and 18 years. We analyzed transitions between body types assigned to lower-, normal- and overweight participants upon development of children and adolescents. We found a virtually parallel development of the body types with only a few transitions between them. Body types of children and adolescents tend to conserve their weight category. 3D body scanning anthropometry in combination with body typing constitutes a novel option to investigate onset and progression of obesity in children.

Authors: H. Loeffler-Wirth, M. Vogel, T. Kirsten, F. Glock, T. Poulain, A. Korner, M. Loeffler, W. Kiess, H. Binder

Date Published: 14th Sep 2018

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: obesity

Abstract (Expand)

Purpose Overall survival (OS) is the definitive and best-established primary efficacy end point to evaluate diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) therapies, but it requires prolonged follow-up. An earlier end point assessed post-treatment would expedite clinical trial conduct and accelerate patient access to effective new therapies. Our objective was to formally evaluate progression-free survival (PFS) and PFS at 24 months (PFS24) as surrogate end points for OS in first-line DLBCL. Patients and Methods Individual patient data were analyzed from 7,507 patients from 13 multicenter randomized controlled trials of active treatment in previously untreated DLBCL, published after 2002, with sufficient PFS data to predict treatment effects on OS. Trial-level surrogacy examining the correlation of treatment effect estimates of PFS/PFS24 and OS was evaluated using both linear regression ( R(2)WLS) and Copula bivariable ( R(2)Copula) models. Prespecified criteria for surrogacy required either R(2)WLS or R(2)Copula >/= 0.80 and neither < 0.7, with lower-bound 95% CI > 0.60. Results Trial-level surrogacy for PFS was strong ( R(2)WLS = 0.83; R(2)Copula = 0.85) and met the predefined criteria for surrogacy. At the patient level, PFS strongly correlated with OS. The surrogate threshold effect had a hazard ratio of 0.89. Surrogacy was consistent across comparisons with or without rituximab and with rituximab maintenance trials. Trial-level surrogacy for PFS24 was relatively strong ( R(2)WLS = 0.77; R(2)Copula = 0.78) but did not meet prespecified criteria. At the patient level, PFS24 significantly correlated with OS. The surrogate threshold effect had an odds ratio of 1.51. Conclusion This large pooled analysis of individual patient data supports PFS as a surrogate end point for OS in future randomized controlled trials evaluating chemoimmunotherapy in DLBCL. Use of this end point may expedite therapeutic development with the intent of bringing novel therapies to this patient population years before OS results are mature.

Authors: Q. Shi, N. Schmitz, F. S. Ou, J. G. Dixon, D. Cunningham, M. Pfreundschuh, J. F. Seymour, U. Jaeger, T. M. Habermann, C. Haioun, H. Tilly, H. Ghesquieres, F. Merli, M. Ziepert, R. Herbrecht, J. Flament, T. Fu, B. Coiffier, C. R. Flowers

Date Published: 1st Sep 2018

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

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