Cancer risk in patients with constitutional chromosome deletions: a nationwide British cohort study

The finding of increased risks of specific cancers in individuals with constitutional deletions of chromosomes 11p and 13q led to the discovery of cancer predisposition genes at these locations, but there have been no systematic studies of cancer risks in patients with constitutional deletions, across the chromosome complement. Therefore, we assessed cancer incidence in comparison with national cancer incidence rates in a follow-up of 2561 patients with constitutional autosomal chromosome deletions diagnosed by microscopy or fluorescence in situ hybridisation in Britain during the period 1965–2002. Thirty cancers other than non-melanoma skin cancer occurred in the cohort (standardised incidence ratio (SIR)=2.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.6–3.5). There were significantly increased risks of renal cancer in persons with 11p deletions (SIR=1869, 95% CI 751–3850; P=4 × 10(−21)), eye cancer with 13q deletions (SIR=1084, 95% CI 295–2775; P=2 × 10(−11)), and anogenital cancer with 11q deletions (SIR=305, 95% CI 63–890; P=3 × 10(−7)); all the three latter cancers were in the 11 subjects with 11q24 deletions. The results strongly suggest that in addition to suppressor genes relating to Wilms' tumour risk on 11p and retinoblastoma on 13q, there are suppressor genes around 11q24 that greatly affect anogenital cancer risk.