Abstract:

Hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC), characterized by susceptibility to gastric signet ring cell carcinomas (SRCCs) and caused by CDH1 germline mutations, is rare in the Japanese. We present here a Japanese family with HDGC identified by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) analysis. A 55-year-old woman was treated with completion gastrectomy for multiple SRCCs, and pathological examination revealed approximately 200 foci of SRCC with loss of E-cadherin expression. Her 30-year-old son had surveillance endoscopy and was found to have multiple SRCCs. He underwent total gastrectomy, and 32 foci of SRCC with loss of E-cadherin expression were histologically found. Although no point mutations were detected in CDH1 by sequencing, CGH revealed a 275-kb deletion involving exons 7-16 of CDH1 in both patients. While only a few HDGCs have been reported in East Asia, patients with multiple SRCC may need to be offered appropriate genetic counseling and testing in this area.

日本語要旨: