Patel, Alpa V.

Abstract Purpose: Germline pathogenic variants in CHEK2 confer moderately elevated breast cancer risk (odds ratio, OR ∼ 2.5), qualifying carriers for enhanced breast cancer screening. Besides pathogenic variants, dozens of missense CHEK2 variants of uncertain significance (VUS) have been identified, hampering the clinical utility of germline genetic testing (GGT). Experimental Design: We collected 460 CHEK2 missense VUS identified by the ENIGMA consortium in 15 countries. Their functional characterization was performed using CHEK2-complementation assays quantifying KAP1 phosphorylation and CHK2 autophosphorylation in human RPE1–CHEK2-knockout cells. Concordant results in both functional assays were used to categorize CHEK2 VUS from 12 ENIGMA case–control datasets, including 73,048 female patients with breast cancer and 88,658 ethnicity-matched controls. Results: A total of 430/460 VUS were successfully analyzed, of which 340 (79.1%) were concordant in both functional assays and categorized as functionally impaired (N = 102), functionally intermediate (N = 12), or functionally wild-type (WT)–like (N = 226). We then examined their association with breast cancer risk in the case–control analysis. The OR and 95% CI (confidence intervals) for carriers of functionally impaired, intermediate, and WT-like variants were 2.83 (95% CI, 2.35–3.41), 1.57 (95% CI, 1.41–1.75), and 1.19 (95% CI, 1.08–1.31), respectively. The meta-analysis of population-specific datasets showed similar results. Conclusions: We determined the functional consequences for the majority of CHEK2 missense VUS found in patients with breast cancer (3,660/4,436; 82.5%). Carriers of functionally impaired missense variants accounted for 0.5% of patients with breast cancer and were associated with a moderate risk similar to that of truncating CHEK2 variants. In contrast, 2.2% of all patients with breast cancer carried functionally wild-type/intermediate missense variants with no clinically relevant breast cancer risk in heterozygous carriers.

Abstract Background Breast cancer (BC) patients with a germline CHEK2 c.1100delC variant have an increased risk of contralateral BC (CBC) and worse BC‐specific survival (BCSS) compared to non‐carriers. Aim To assessed the associations of CHEK2 c.1100delC, radiotherapy, and systemic treatment with CBC risk and BCSS. Methods Analyses were based on 82,701 women diagnosed with a first primary invasive BC including 963 CHEK2 c.1100delC carriers; median follow‐up was 9.1 years. Differential associations with treatment by CHEK2 c.1100delC status were tested by including interaction terms in a multivariable Cox regression model. A multi‐state model was used for further insight into the relation between CHEK2 c.1100delC status, treatment, CBC risk and death. Results There was no evidence for differential associations of therapy with CBC risk by CHEK2 c.1100delC status. The strongest association with reduced CBC risk was observed for the combination of chemotherapy and endocrine therapy [HR (95% CI): 0.66 (0.55–0.78)]. No association was observed with radiotherapy. Results from the multi‐state model showed shorter BCSS for CHEK2 c.1100delC carriers versus non‐carriers also after accounting for CBC occurrence [HR (95% CI): 1.30 (1.09–1.56)]. Conclusion Systemic therapy was associated with reduced CBC risk irrespective of CHEK2 c.1100delC status. Moreover, CHEK2 c.1100delC carriers had shorter BCSS, which appears not to be fully explained by their CBC risk.

Abstract Background: There are conflicting data on whether nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with susceptibility to pancreatic cancer. Using Mendelian randomization (MR), we investigated the relationship between genetic predisposition to NAFLD and risk for pancreatic cancer. Methods: Data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) within the Pancreatic Cancer Cohort Consortium (PanScan; cases n = 5,090, controls n = 8,733) and the Pancreatic Cancer Case Control Consortium (PanC4; cases n = 4,163, controls n = 3,792) were analyzed. We used data on 68 genetic variants with four different MR methods [inverse variance weighting (IVW), MR-Egger, simple median, and penalized weighted median] separately to predict genetic heritability of NAFLD. We then assessed the relationship between each of the four MR methods and pancreatic cancer risk, using logistic regression to calculate ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusting for PC risk factors, including obesity and diabetes. Results: No association was found between genetically predicted NAFLD and pancreatic cancer risk in the PanScan or PanC4 samples [e.g., PanScan, IVW OR, 1.04; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.88–1.22; MR-Egger OR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.65–1.21; PanC4, IVW OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.90–1.27; MR-Egger OR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.67–1.28]. None of the four MR methods indicated an association between genetically predicted NAFLD and pancreatic cancer risk in either sample. Conclusions: Genetic predisposition to NAFLD is not associated with pancreatic cancer risk. Impact: Given the close relationship between NAFLD and metabolic conditions, it is plausible that any association between NAFLD and pancreatic cancer might reflect host metabolic perturbations (e.g., obesity, diabetes, or metabolic syndrome) and does not necessarily reflect a causal relationship between NAFLD and pancreatic cancer.

Abstract Purpose To estimate the risk of contralateral breast cancer (CBC) among women in the general population with germline pathogenic variants (PVs) in ATM, BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2, and PALB2. Methods Among 15,104 prospectively followed women within the CARRIERS study treated with ipsilateral surgery for invasive breast cancer, a subset of 14,237 women were identified from population-based studies. The risk of CBC was estimated for PV carriers in each gene compared to women without PVs in a multivariate proportional hazard regression analysis accounting for the competing risk of death and adjusting for patient and tumor characteristics. The primary analyses focused on the overall cohort and on women from the general population. Secondary analyses examined associations by race/ethnicity, age at primary breast cancer diagnosis, menopausal status, and tumor estrogen receptor status. Results Germline BRCA1, BRCA2, and CHEK2 PV carriers with breast cancer were at significantly elevated risk (Hazard ratio ≥ 1.9, p< 0.05) of CBC, whereas only the PALB2 PV carriers with ER-negative breast cancer had elevated risks. In contrast, ATM PV carriers did not have significantly increased CBC risks. African American PV carriers had similarly elevated risks of CBC as non-Hispanic White PV carriers. Among premenopausal women, the 15-year cumulative incidence of CBC was >20% for BRCA1, BRCA2 and CHEK2 PV carriers with breast cancer, and for PALB2 PV carriers with ER-negative breast cancer. The 15-year cumulative incidence of CBC among postmenopausal PV carriers was < 20% for PV carriers in any of the 5 genes. Conclusions Women diagnosed with breast cancer and known to carry germline PVs in BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2, or PALB2 are at substantially increased risk of CBC and may benefit from enhanced surveillance and risk-reduction strategies. Citation Format: Siddhartha Yadav, Nicholas J. Boddicker, Jie Na, Eric C. Polley, Chunling Hu, Steven N. Hart, Rohan D. Gnanaolivu, Nicole Larson, Carolyn Dunn, Susan Holtegaard, Huaizhi Huang, Lauren R. Teras, Alpa V. Patel, James V. Lacey Jr., Susan Neuhausen, Leslie Bernstein, Elena Martinez, Christopher Haiman, Fei Chen, Kathryn Ruddy, Janet Olson, Esther John, Allison W. Kurian, Dale P. Sandler, Katie M. O’Brien, Jack A. Taylor, Clarice R. Weinberg, Hoda Anton-Culver, Argyrios Ziogas, Gary R. Zirpoli, David E. Goldgar, Katherine L. Nathanson, Susan Domchek, Julie R. Palmer, Jeffrey Weitzel, Peter Kraft, Fergus J. Couch. Population-based Estimates of contralateral Breast Cancer Risk among Carriers of Germline Pathogenic Variants in ATM, BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2, and PALB2 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr GS4-04.

Abstract Breast cancer (BC) patients with a germline CHEK2 c.1100delC variant have an increased risk of contralateral BC (CBC) and worse BC-specific survival (BCSS) compared to non-carriers. We aimed to assess the associations of CHEK2 c.1100delC, radiotherapy, and systemic treatment with CBC risk and BCSS. Analyses were based on 82,701 women diagnosed with invasive BC including 963 CHEK2 c.1100delC carriers; median follow-up was 9.1 years. Differential associations of treatment by CHEK2 c.1100delC status were tested by including interaction terms in a multivariable Cox regression model. A multi-state model was used for further insight into the relation between CHEK2 c.1100delC status, treatment, CBC risk and death. There was no evidence for differential associations of therapy with CBC risk by CHEK2 c.1100delC status The strongest association with reduced CBC risk was observed for the combination of chemotherapy and endocrine therapy [HR(95%CI): 0.66 (0.55–0.78)]. No association was observed with radiotherapy. Results from the multi-state model showed shorter BCSS for CHEK2 c.1100delC carriers versus non-carriers also after accounting for CBC occurrence [HR(95%CI) :1.30 (1.09–1.56)]. In conclusion, systemic therapy was associated with reduced CBC risk irrespective of CHEK2 c.1100delC status. Moreover, CHEK2 c.1100delC carriers had shorter BCSS, which appears not to be fully explained by their CBC risk. (Main MS: 3201 words)

PURPOSE To estimate the risk of contralateral breast cancer (CBC) among women with germline pathogenic variants (PVs) in ATM, BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2, and PALB2. METHODS The study population included 15,104 prospectively followed women within the CARRIERS study treated with ipsilateral surgery for invasive breast cancer. The risk of CBC was estimated for PV carriers in each gene compared with women without PVs in a multivariate proportional hazard regression analysis accounting for the competing risk of death and adjusting for patient and tumor characteristics. The primary analyses focused on the overall cohort and on women from the general population. Secondary analyses examined associations by race/ethnicity, age at primary breast cancer diagnosis, menopausal status, and tumor estrogen receptor (ER) status. RESULTS Germline BRCA1, BRCA2, and CHEK2 PV carriers with breast cancer were at significantly elevated risk (hazard ratio > 1.9) of CBC, whereas only the PALB2 PV carriers with ER-negative breast cancer had elevated risks (hazard ratio, 2.9). By contrast, ATM PV carriers did not have significantly increased CBC risks. African American PV carriers had similarly elevated risks of CBC as non-Hispanic White PV carriers. Among premenopausal women, the 10-year cumulative incidence of CBC was estimated to be 33% for BRCA1, 27% for BRCA2, and 13% for CHEK2 PV carriers with breast cancer and 35% for PALB2 PV carriers with ER-negative breast cancer. The 10-year cumulative incidence of CBC among postmenopausal PV carriers was 12% for BRCA1, 9% for BRCA2, and 4% for CHEK2. CONCLUSION Women diagnosed with breast cancer and known to carry germline PVs in BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2, or PALB2 are at substantially increased risk of CBC and may benefit from enhanced surveillance and risk reduction strategies.

Abstract Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAID) are associated with modest inconsistent reductions in breast cancer risk in population-based cohorts, whereas two focused studies of patients with benign breast disease (BBD) have found lower risk with NSAID use. Given that BBD includes fibroinflammatory lesions linked to elevated breast cancer risk, we assessed whether NSAID use was associated with lower breast cancer risk among patients with BBD. Participants were postmenopausal women in the Cancer Prevention Study-II (CPS-II), a prospective study of cancer incidence and mortality, who completed follow-up surveys in 1997 with follow-up through June 30, 2015. History of BBD, NSAID use, and covariate data were updated biennially. This analysis included 23,615 patients with BBD and 36,751 patients with non-BBD, including 3,896 incident breast cancers over an average of 12.72 years of follow-up among participants. NSAID use, overall and by formulation, recency, duration, and pills per month was analyzed versus breast cancer risk overall and by BBD status using multivariable-adjusted Cox models; BBD status and NSAID use were modeled as time-dependent exposures. Patients with BBD who reported using NSAIDs experienced lower breast cancer risk (HR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.78–0.97), with similar effects for estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancers [HR, 0.85; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.74–0.97] and ER-negative breast cancers (HR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.59–1.29); among women without BBD, NSAID use was unrelated to risk (HR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.92–1.13; Pinteraction = 0.04). Associations stratified by age, obesity, menopausal hormone use, and cardiovascular disease were similar. Among patients with BBD, NSAID use appears linked to lower breast cancer risk. Further studies to assess the value of NSAID use among patients with BBD are warranted. Prevention Relevance: We examined whether NSAID use, a modifiable exposure, is associated with breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women from the Cancer Prevention Study-II with self-reported benign breast disease, an often inflammatory condition associated with higher rates of breast cancer.

Abstract Introduction: The relationship between germline pathogenic variants (PVs) in cancer predisposition genes and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is not well established. The objective of this study is to determine the risks of DCIS and contralateral breast cancer among women with DCIS associated with germline PVs in cancer predisposition genes. Methods: Associations between pathogenic variants in 11 cancer predisposition genes (ATM, BARD1, BRCA1, BRCA2, BRIP1, CDH1, CHEK2, MSH6, PALB2, RAD51C, and RAD51D) and DCIS were determined in case control analyses of a population-based cohort of 3876 women with DCIS and age-matched unaffected women, and in a clinical cohort of 9887 DCIS cases undergoing clinical genetic testing at Ambry Genetics and unaffected reference controls. The incidence of contralateral breast cancer risk in BRCA1, BRCA2, and PALB2 PV carriers with DCIS was also evaluated in a time-to-event analysis. Results: The mean age at diagnosis of DCIS was 50 years in the clinical testing cohort and 59 years in the population-based cohort. The frequency of PVs in 11 predisposition genes among DCIS cases was 6.9% in the clinical testing cohort and 4.9% in the population-based cohort. PVs in ATM, BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2, MSH6, PALB2, and RAD51D were associated with significantly increased risks (Odds Ratio (OR) >2) of DCIS in the clinical testing cohort whereas only PVs in BRCA1, CHEK2, PALB2, and ATM were associated with significantly increased risks of DCIS in the population-based cohort. The cumulative incidence of contralateral breast cancer among BRCA1, BRCA2, and PALB2 PV carriers with DCIS was 11% in 5-years and 20% in 15-years. Conclusions: This study provides new insights into PVs that predispose to DCIS. In addition, it establishes an increased risk of contralateral breast cancer risk among women with DCIS who are carriers of PVs in BRCA1, BRCA2, or PALB2. These findings will guide surveillance and risk reducing strategies in germline PV carriers with DCIS. Citation Format: Huaizhi Huang, Ronan E. Couch, Holly LaDuca, Siddhartha Yadav, Eric C. Polley, Nicholas J. Boddicker, Jie Na, Rohan D. Gnanaolivu, David E. Goldgar, Tina Pesaran, Steven N. Hart, Jill S. Dolinsky, Julie R. Palmer, Lauren Teras, Alpa V. Patel, Kathryn J. Ruddy, Janet E. Olson, Celine M. Vachon, Peter Kraft, Song Yao, Amy Trentham-Dietz, Katherine L. Nathanson, Jeffrey N. Weitzel, Susan M. Domchek, Fergus J. Couch, Chunling Hu. Risks of ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast associated with pathogenic variants in cancer predisposition genes [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Rethinking DCIS: An Opportunity for Prevention?; 2022 Sep 8-11; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2022;15(12 Suppl_1): Abstract nr A003.

PURPOSE The prevalence of germline pathogenic variants (PVs) in established breast cancer predisposition genes in women in the general population over age 65 years is not well-defined. However, testing guidelines suggest that women diagnosed with breast cancer over age 65 years might have < 2.5% likelihood of a PV in a high-penetrance gene. This study aimed to establish the frequency of PVs and remaining risks of breast cancer for each gene in women over age 65 years. METHODS A total of 26,707 women over age 65 years from population-based studies (51.5% with breast cancer and 48.5% unaffected) were tested for PVs in germline predisposition gene. Frequencies of PVs and associations between PVs in each gene and breast cancer were assessed, and remaining lifetime breast cancer risks were estimated for non-Hispanic White women with PVs. RESULTS The frequency of PVs in predisposition genes was 3.18% for women with breast cancer and 1.48% for unaffected women over age 65 years. PVs in BRCA1, BRCA2, and PALB2 were found in 3.42% of women diagnosed with estrogen receptor (ER)–negative, 1.0% with ER-positive, and 3.01% with triple-negative breast cancer. Frequencies of PVs were lower among women with no first-degree relatives with breast cancer. PVs in CHEK2, PALB2, BRCA2, and BRCA1 were associated with increased risks (odds ratio = 2.9-4.0) of breast cancer. Remaining lifetime risks of breast cancer were ≥ 15% for those with PVs in BRCA1, BRCA2, and PALB2. CONCLUSION This study suggests that all women diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer or ER-negative breast cancer should receive genetic testing and that women over age 65 years with BRCA1 and BRCA2 PVs and perhaps with PALB2 and CHEK2 PVs should be considered for magnetic resonance imaging screening.