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Carriers of hereditary mutations in cancer susceptibility genes represent a limited but high-risk population characterized by a high probability of cancer development, frequently with its manifestation in early age and with a 50% chance of pathogenic allele inheritance by offspring. In case of monogenic disorders, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) could be used for characterization of the DNA region affected by pathogenic mutation in the early stages of an embryo created by in vitro fertilization (IVF). Therefore, the transfer of unaffected embryos could be performed based on the results of PGD genotyping, enabling the development of offspring not carrying the pathogenic alteration.Here we present the consensus of the collaborative group of the Society for Medical Genetics, the Czech Society for Oncology and other professionals for use of PGD in the Czech Republic for carriers of mutations in cancer susceptibility genes. We address the conditions, prerequisites, and limits of practical application of this method. We also point out specific issues of ovarian hyperstimulation in carriers of mutations in BRCA1, BRCA2, and p53, anticipating the increased risk of hormonally dependent breast and ovarian cancers development.We assume that a narrow but non-negligible subgroup of cancer susceptibility gene mutation carriers may benefit from PGD.They are mainly individuals deciding to undergo IVF and PGD recruited from mutation carriers with extreme concerns about transmitting the mutation to their children. The PGD in these individuals should be managed by a closely cooperating multidisciplinary team of professionals responsible for indication of PGD, giving complete information regarding the IVF and PGD procedures including their limits, evaluating individual risks and performing instrumental and laboratory procedures with respect to up-to-date good laboratory and clinical practice.

This article reviews the topic of hereditary ovarian cancer, describes persons at risk of hereditary disposition to cancer and gives instructions for genetic counselling and molecular analysis, including contacts to specialized centres in the Czech Republic.Review.Institute of Biochemistry and Experimental Oncology, Charles University in Prague.Hereditary ovarian cancer occurs in three autosomal dominant syndromes: appropriate hereditary ovarian cancer (HOC), hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) and hereditary non-poliposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). Physician in practice or specialist at the clinic should focus interest on patients form families with frequent occurrence of breast and/or ovarian cancer, patients with early onset disease or tumour duplicity (breast and ovarian cancer). Hereditary disposition to ovarian (and breast) cancer could be assessed by molecular genetic analysis of two main susceptibility genes BRCA1 and BRCA2, or other genes in families with diverse tumours. Molecular genetic analysis should be in any cases indicated by experienced clinical genetic. In the Czech Republic, the consensus of genetic and clinical care of risk patients was published and specialized centres for families with hereditary predisposition were settled in Prague and Brno.Persons with hereditary susceptibility to cancer constitute noted group where painstaking dispensarisation and preventive care may prevent malignancy or detect it in the early stage.

Analysis of the major breast cancer (BC) predisposition genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 enables identification of high-risk individuals. Specialized programs enrolling the carriers of BRCA1/2 mutations facilitate an improvement in prevention and early diagnostics in asymptomatic individuals and rationalize the selection of individualized treatment in case of a BC onset. However, the carriers of mutations in the major predisposition genes represent only approximately 25% of cases among high-risk BC patients. Numerous candidate predisposing genes for breast and other cancers have recently been identified. The risk of cancer development associated with alterations in these genes is lower, and there is a considerable population variability in different regions worldwide.We have performed mutation analyses of moderate-risk cancer susceptibility genes to evaluate their clinical importance for genetic counseling in high-risk patients suffering from breast and other cancers in the Czech population.Czech oncological patients were analysed for mutation in ATM, CHEK2, NBS1 (NBN) and PALB2 genes. The majority of analyzed individuals represent the population of high-risk BRCA1/2-negative BC patients.Based on results of this study, we recommend an analysis of recurrent truncating mutations in the CHEK2 gene (the c.1100delC mutation and a large deletion affecting exons 9-10) in BRCA1/2-negative patients from high-risk BC families. A clinical assessment of missense variants in CHEK2 is not suitable. A routine mutation analysis of the ATM and NBS1 (NBN) genes is not recommended in BC patients due to the low frequency of alterations in these genes in the Czech Republic. An identification of truncating mutations in the PALB2 gene is important in BRCA1/2-negative BC patients from families with a strong history of BC (HBC families). The frequency of PALB2 mutations may be comparable to the frequency of mutations in the BRCA2 gene in Czech HBC families.

Background: Female sex hormones are known to have immunomodulatory effects. Therefore, reproductive factors and exogenous hormone use could influence the risk of multiple myeloma in women. However, the role of hormonal factors in multiple myeloma etiology remains unclear because previous investigations were underpowered to detect modest associations. Methods: We conducted a pooled analysis of seven case–control studies included in the International Multiple Myeloma Consortium, with individual data on reproductive factors and exogenous hormone use from 1,072 female cases and 3,541 female controls. Study-specific odds ratios and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using logistic regression and pooled analyses were conducted using random effects meta-analyses. Results: Multiple myeloma was not associated with reproductive factors, including ever parous [OR = 0.92; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.68–1.25], or with hormonal contraception use (OR = 1.04; 95% CI, 0.80–1.36). Postmenopausal hormone therapy users had nonsignificantly reduced risks of multiple myeloma compared with never users, but this association differed across centers (OR = 0.65; 95% CI, 0.37–1.15, I2 = 76.0%, Pheterogeneity = 0.01). Conclusions: These data do not support a role for reproductive factors or exogenous hormones in myelomagenesis. Impact: Incidence rates of multiple myeloma are higher in men than in women, and sex hormones could influence this pattern. Associations with reproductive factors and exogenous hormone use were inconclusive despite our large sample size, suggesting that female sex hormones may not play a significant role in multiple myeloma etiology. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(1); 217–21. ©2015 AACR.

Background: Past investigations of cigarette smoking and multiple myeloma have been underpowered to detect moderate associations, particularly within subgroups. To clarify this association, we conducted a pooled analysis of nine case–control studies in the International Multiple Myeloma Consortium, with individual-level questionnaire data on cigarette smoking history and other covariates. Methods: Using a pooled population of 2,670 cases and 11,913 controls, we computed odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) relating smoking to multiple myeloma risk using unconditional logistic regression adjusting for gender, age group, race, education, body mass index, alcohol consumption, and study center. Results: Neither ever smokers (OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.87–1.05), current smokers (OR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.73–0.93), nor former smokers (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.92–1.14) had increased risks of multiple myeloma compared with never smokers. Analyses of smoking frequency, pack-years, and duration did not reveal significant or consistent patterns, and there was no significant effect modification by subgroups. Conclusion: Findings from this large pooled analysis do not support the hypothesis of cigarette smoking as a causal factor for multiple myeloma. Impact: Cigarette smoking is one of the most important risk factors for cancer, but the association with multiple myeloma was inconclusive. This study had excellent power to detect modest associations, and had individual-level data to evaluate confounding and effect modification by potentially important factors that were not evaluated in previous studies. Our findings confirm that smoking is not a risk factor for multiple myeloma. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 24(3); 631–4. ©2014 AACR.

Background: Recent findings suggest that alcohol consumption may reduce risk of multiple myeloma. Methods: To better understand this relationship, we conducted an analysis of six case–control studies participating in the International Multiple Myeloma Consortium (1,567 cases, 7,296 controls). Summary ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) relating different measures of alcohol consumption and multiple myeloma risk were computed by unconditional logistic regression with adjustment for age, race, and study center. Results: Cases were significantly less likely than controls to report ever drinking alcohol (men: OR = 0.72; 95% CI, 0.59–0.89; women: OR = 0.81; 95% CI, 0.68–0.95). The inverse association with multiple myeloma was stronger when comparing current to never drinkers (men: OR = 0.57; 95% CI, 0.45–0.72; women: OR = 0.55; 95% CI, 0.45–0.68), but null among former drinkers. We did not observe an exposure–response relationship with increasing alcohol frequency, duration, or cumulative lifetime consumption. Additional adjustment for body mass index, education, or smoking did not affect our results; and the patterns of association were similar for each type of alcohol beverage examined. Conclusions: Our study is, to our knowledge, the largest of its kind to date, and our findings suggest that alcohol consumption may be associated with reduced risk of multiple myeloma. Impact: Prospective studies, especially those conducted as pooled analyses with large sample sizes, are needed to confirm our findings and further explore whether alcohol consumption provides true biologic protection against this rare, highly fatal malignancy. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(9); 1620–7. ©2013 AACR.

Using EpiLymph case-control data, we found that chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients were more likely to have abnormal reactive serological patterns to Epstein Barr virus than controls. Here, we aimed to assess whether this association is modified by genetic variants. We examined 1,305 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms from 300 selected genes related to various pathways in 240 cases and 513 controls from five European centers. In a recessive model, patients positive to aberrant antibody pattern and homozygous for rare genotypes in rs8113877T>G or rs17576A>G of the MMP9 gene were at highest risk of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. In a dominant model, TP73 showed the highest risk in patients positive to aberrant antibody pattern and homozygous for the wild-type genotype in rs1885859G>C or rs3765701A>T. All interactions were additive and no main effect was observed. The strong interactions observed may be indicative of a specific pathway in cancer genesis. Confirmation of these results is warranted © 2011 Ferrata Storti Foundation.

SUMMARY Background: Social inequalities have been shown to contribute to the risk of lung cancer in industrialized countries, but it is unclear whether they also play a role in former socialist countries of Europe. Methods: A case-control study involving 3,403 cases and 3,670 controls was conducted in Central European countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia), Russia, and in the UK. Indicators of socioeconomic status, including education and white/blue collar occupation based on lifetime occupations were analysed as indicators of risk factors for lung cancer development, after adjustment for tobacco smoking and exposure to occupational carcinogens. Results: Both indicators of socioeconomic status: low education and blue collar occupations were found as significant risk factors for lung cancer in men. The odds ratio of lung cancer for blue collar occupations compared to white collar occupations was 1.37 (95% confidence interval 1.15–1.62), that for low education compared to high education (analysis restricted to Central European countries) was 1.35 (95% confidence interval 1.03–1.77). No such effects were observed in women. Conclusions: The confirmation of the significant inverse association between the indicators of socioeconomic status and lung cancer risk in men may serve as a strong incentive for adoption of occupational and public health measures in lung cancer prevention.