OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic variants and phenotypic characteristics of patients with Neurofibromatosis type I (NF1). METHODS: Twenty two NF1 patients who presented at Enze Medical (Center) Group in Taizhou between 2018 and 2024 were selected as the study subjects. Clinical phenotype and family history were collected for the patients. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was carried out for the 22 probands to screen the variants of NF1 gene. Candidate variants were verified by Sanger sequencing of their family members. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Hospital (Ethics No.: K20230902). RESULTS: The 22 probands were diagnosed between the age of 5 months to 47 years old, and have all shown cafe au lait spots on their skin. Seventeen patients exhibited the phenotype at birth, and 11 had various degrees of neurofibromatosis. Among them, probands 1 and 13 underwent surgical resection of the tumor but had recurred, while proband 12 had amputation due to the huge size and serious impact of the neurofibroma and had no recurrence. Five patients had various degrees of scoliosis. In total 22 germline mutations and one somatic mutation were identified among the 22 families, with 5 variants unreported previously, including 1 nonsense mutation c.1603C>T (Q535*), 3 frameshift mutations [c.7268_7269delCA (Thr2423fs), c.2293del (Arg765Alafs*26), and c.5433_5438delinsGC (Phe1812ArgfsTer50)], and 1 deletion involving exons 41-44 of the NF1 gene and adjacent introns. Proband 13 was found to harbor germline mutation c.6796C>T (Gln2266Ter) and somatic mutation c.1019_1020del (Ser340Cysfs Ter12) in the peripheral blood and tumor tissue, respectively. Among the 22 NF1 probands, 6 had received treatment due to severe illness. Proband 1 had tumor resection in the right upper limb, but was found to have malignant lung tumor and died during follow-up. Proband 12 had multiple recurrence of neurofibroma in the left ring finger. Proband 4 underwent spinal correction surgery due to severe scoliosis. Proband 11 had died due to a central nervous system disease. Among the 22 germline mutations, 6 had led to the occurrence of truncated proteins, which may have a more severe impact on the phenotype. CONCLUSION This study investigated the genetic variants and clinical phenotypes of 22 NF1 families and identified 5 novel variants of the NF1 gene, which has expanded the genotypic and phenotypic spectra of the NF1. Preliminary studies have identified an association between truncated mutations, young age, and severe phenotypes, which may provide important clues for prognosis evaluation. For the clinical diagnosis and treatment of NF1, it is necessary to consider the phenotypic characteristics and genetic testing in combination with genetic counseling and long-term follow-up.
Humans ; Neurofibromatosis 1/pathology* ; Male ; Female ; Pedigree ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Middle Aged ; Adolescent ; Infant ; Young Adult ; Neurofibromin 1/genetics* ; Phenotype ; Asian People/genetics* ; Mutation ; Exome Sequencing ; East Asian People

OBJECTIVE: To determine the types of genetic variants in six Chinese pedigrees affected with Marfan syndrome (MFS) and analyze their clinical characteristics and molecular pathogenesis. METHODS: Six MFS pedigrees presented at the Taizhou Enze Medical Center (Group) between 2017 and 2022 were selected as the study subjects. Clinical data of pedigrees were retrospectively analyzed. Peripheral blood samples were collected from the probands and their family members for the extraction of genomic DNA. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was carried out. Candidate variants of the FBN1 gene were verified by Sanger sequencing. Based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), pathogenicity of the candidate variants was assessed. AlphaFold3 and PyMOL software were used for homology modeling of the FBN1 protein and analysis of its three-dimensional structure and amino acid sequence conservation. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Taizhou Enze Medical Center (Group) (Ethics No. 20231002). RESULTS: Cardiovascular system abnormalities were noted in all pedigrees, ocular abnormalities were present in pedigrees 2 and 5, skeletal system abnormalities were presented in pedigrees 1, and 4 to 6. FBN1 gene mutations were identified in all pedigrees, including c.1957_1958dupGT (p.Asp654fs), c.5014T>A (p.Cys1672Ser), c.8135delC (p.Pro2712fs), c.2302G>T (p.Glu768*), c.3473A>G (p.Glu1158Gly) and c.6169C>T (p.Arg2057*), with each involving a different exon. Four variants were rated as pathogenic, one as likely pathogenic, and one as variant of uncertain significance. Among these, c.5014T>A (p.Cys1672Ser), c.1957_1958dupGT (p.Asp654fs), c.8135delC (p.Pro2712fs), and c.2302G>T (p.Glu768*) were unreported previously. Bioinformatic analysis with SIFT and PolyPhen-2 predicted that the c.5014T>A (p.Cys1672Ser) and c.3473A>G (p.Glu1158Gly) variants were deleterious. Protein homologous sequence alignment analysis revealed that the four novel mutation sites are highly conserved across various species. Homology modeling of the FBN1 protein three-dimensional structure indicated that the six variant sites in the amino acid sequence are all close to hydrogen bonds and may alter the secondary and tertiary structures to varying degrees, thereby confirmed the relationship between the variants and MFS. CONCLUSION Four novel variants of the FBN1 gene have been discovered in this study, which has enriched the mutational and phenotypic spectrum of MFS and provided a basis for disease diagnosis and genetic counseling.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult ; China ; East Asian People/genetics* ; Exome Sequencing ; Fibrillin-1/genetics* ; Marfan Syndrome/genetics* ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Retrospective Studies ; Adipokines

Objective:To determine the types of genetic variants in six Chinese pedigrees affected with Marfan syndrome (MFS) and analyze their clinical characteristics and molecular pathogenesis.Methods:Six MFS pedigrees presented at the Taizhou Enze Medical Center (Group) between 2017 and 2022 were selected as the study subjects. Clinical data of pedigrees were retrospectively analyzed. Peripheral blood samples were collected from the probands and their family members for the extraction of genomic DNA. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was carried out. Candidate variants of the FBN1 gene were verified by Sanger sequencing. Based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), pathogenicity of the candidate variants was assessed. AlphaFold3 and PyMOL software were used for homology modeling of the FBN1 protein and analysis of its three-dimensional structure and amino acid sequence conservation. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Taizhou Enze Medical Center (Group) (Ethics No. 20231002). Results:Cardiovascular system abnormalities were noted in all pedigrees, ocular abnormalities were present in pedigrees 2 and 5, skeletal system abnormalities were presented in pedigrees 1, and 4 to 6. FBN1 gene mutations were identified in all pedigrees, including c. 1957_1958dupGT (p.Asp654fs), c. 5014T>A (p.Cys1672Ser), c. 8135delC (p.Pro2712fs), c. 2302G>T (p.Glu768*), c. 3473A>G (p.Glu1158Gly) and c. 6169C>T (p.Arg2057*), with each involving a different exon. Four variants were rated as pathogenic, one as likely pathogenic, and one as variant of uncertain significance. Among these, c. 5014T>A (p.Cys1672Ser), c. 1957_1958dupGT (p.Asp654fs), c. 8135delC (p.Pro2712fs), and c. 2302G>T (p.Glu768*) were unreported previously. Bioinformatic analysis with SIFT and PolyPhen-2 predicted that the c. 5014T>A (p.Cys1672Ser) and c. 3473A>G (p.Glu1158Gly) variants were deleterious. Protein homologous sequence alignment analysis revealed that the four novel mutation sites are highly conserved across various species. Homology modeling of the FBN1 protein three-dimensional structure indicated that the six variant sites in the amino acid sequence are all close to hydrogen bonds and may alter the secondary and tertiary structures to varying degrees, thereby confirmed the relationship between the variants and MFS. Conclusion:Four novel variants of the FBN1 gene have been discovered in this study, which has enriched the mutational and phenotypic spectrum of MFS and provided a basis for disease diagnosis and genetic counseling.

This article reports the diagnosis and treatment of a patient with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) initially manifested as acquired von Willebrand syndrome (AvWS), along with a literature review. The patient, a 22-year-old male, was diagnosed with hereditary von Willebrand disease at the initial stage due to repeated mucosal bleeding, and was later diagnosed with DLBCL (non germinal center type, Ann Arbor stage Ⅳ) due to chest wall mass. Through chemotherapy combined with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and zebutinib maintenance therapy, the patient achieved sustained complete remission, and the coagulation function returned to normal. This case provides an important reference for the diagnosis and treatment of lymphoma associated AvWS, and highlights the importance of early recognition of basic diseases.

Objective:To analyze the current status and trends of lung cancer incidence and mortality in China and selected global regions, providing evidence for lung cancer prevention strategies in China.Methods:We extracted data from the GLOBOCAN 2022 database. Age-standardized Incidence rate (ASIR) and Age-standardized Mortality rate (ASMR) were calculated using Segi's world standard population. Epidemiological patterns were analyzed by region, age, sex, and human development index (HDI). Simple linear regression and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient were used to examine associations between HDI and ASIR/ASMR.Results:In 2022, global lung cancer incidence and mortality reached 2.48 million and 1.82 million cases respectively, with age-standardized rates of 23.6 per 100 000 (ASIR) and 16.8 per 100 000 (ASMR). Gender disparities were prominent, with male ASIR and ASMR being 2.0-fold and 2.5-fold higher than females. Elderly populations showed 11.6-fold higher ASIR and 14.4-fold higher ASMR compared to working-age adults. HDI demonstrated strong positive correlations with both ASIR ( r=0.79, P＜0.001) and ASMR ( r=0.74, P＜0.001). China accounted for 1.06 million new cases and 0.73 million deaths, with ASIR (40.8 per 100 000) and ASMR (26.7 per 100 000) exceeding global averages by 1.7-fold and 1.6-fold respectively. Chinese males showed 1.7-fold higher ASIR and 2.7-fold higher ASMR than females. Trend analysis revealed persistently high male incidence in China whereas rapidly increasing female rates, narrowing gender disparities. Projections estimate 1.80 million incident cases and 1.41 million deaths by 2050, representing 69.3% and 92.0% increases from 2022 levels. Conclusions:Significant heterogeneity exists in lung cancer burden across demographics and development levels, with strong HDI correlations. China bears disproportionate disease burden, necessitating intensified prevention efforts. These findings underscore the urgency of targeted interventions in high-risk populations.

Objective:To comprehensively evaluate the cost and cost-effectiveness of the colorectal cancer screening program for key populations in Zhejiang Province from 2020 to 2022, and provide reference for optimizing colorectal cancer screening strategies.Methods:Based on the colorectal cancer screening program for key populations in Zhejiang Province from 2020 to 2022, parameters such as initial screening positivity rates, colonoscopy compliance rates, and detection rates for colorectal-related lesions among residents aged 50-74 were obtained. Questionnaire surveys assessed program costs and direct medical costs associated with colorectal cancer-related lesions. From a health system perspective, the cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated using the Early Detection Cost Index (EDCI) and the cost per detected case, followed by sensitivity analysis.Results:A total of 5 881 364 screenings were completed from 2020 to 2022. The initial screening positive rate (positive for either questionnaire or fecal immunochemical testing ) was 16.83%, with a colonoscopy compliance rates of 33.96% ( n=336 150). Detection rates for non-advanced adenomas, advanced adenomas, and colorectal cancer were 24.83% ( n=83 453), 11.91% ( n=40 033), and 1.01% ( n=3 397), respectively. Initial screening positivity rates and detection rates increased with age, while colonoscopy compliance rates decreased with age. Cost analysis showed a total project investment of 378 730 457 yuan, with initial screening costing 146 633 103 yuan (38.72%) and diagnostic colonoscopy 232 097 354 yuan (61.28%). The average cost per initial screening and diagnostic colonoscopy was 24.93 and 690.46 yuan, respectively. Direct medical costs for non-advanced adenomas, advanced adenomas, and colorectal cancer at stages Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and Ⅳ were 4 921, 8 380, 42 547, 62 156, 66 720, and 72 334 yuan, respectively. Cost-effectiveness analysis indicated that screening needed to detect one case of colorectal cancer required 1 731 people and cost 111 490 yuan; the cost per detected advanced adenoma was 9 460 yuan, and the EDCI was 0.09. Costs decreased with increasing age per detected colorectal lesion. Sensitivity analysis showed that increasing colonoscopy compliance could reduce the cost-effectiveness ratio. Conclusions:The colorectal cancer screening program for key populations in Zhejiang Province demonstrates cost-effectiveness. Improving colonoscopy compliance can enhance overall screening effectiveness and economic benefits.

Objective:To analyze the current status and trends of lung cancer incidence and mortality in China and selected global regions, providing evidence for lung cancer prevention strategies in China.Methods:We extracted data from the GLOBOCAN 2022 database. Age-standardized Incidence rate (ASIR) and Age-standardized Mortality rate (ASMR) were calculated using Segi's world standard population. Epidemiological patterns were analyzed by region, age, sex, and human development index (HDI). Simple linear regression and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient were used to examine associations between HDI and ASIR/ASMR.Results:In 2022, global lung cancer incidence and mortality reached 2.48 million and 1.82 million cases respectively, with age-standardized rates of 23.6 per 100 000 (ASIR) and 16.8 per 100 000 (ASMR). Gender disparities were prominent, with male ASIR and ASMR being 2.0-fold and 2.5-fold higher than females. Elderly populations showed 11.6-fold higher ASIR and 14.4-fold higher ASMR compared to working-age adults. HDI demonstrated strong positive correlations with both ASIR ( r=0.79, P＜0.001) and ASMR ( r=0.74, P＜0.001). China accounted for 1.06 million new cases and 0.73 million deaths, with ASIR (40.8 per 100 000) and ASMR (26.7 per 100 000) exceeding global averages by 1.7-fold and 1.6-fold respectively. Chinese males showed 1.7-fold higher ASIR and 2.7-fold higher ASMR than females. Trend analysis revealed persistently high male incidence in China whereas rapidly increasing female rates, narrowing gender disparities. Projections estimate 1.80 million incident cases and 1.41 million deaths by 2050, representing 69.3% and 92.0% increases from 2022 levels. Conclusions:Significant heterogeneity exists in lung cancer burden across demographics and development levels, with strong HDI correlations. China bears disproportionate disease burden, necessitating intensified prevention efforts. These findings underscore the urgency of targeted interventions in high-risk populations.

Objective:To comprehensively evaluate the cost and cost-effectiveness of the colorectal cancer screening program for key populations in Zhejiang Province from 2020 to 2022, and provide reference for optimizing colorectal cancer screening strategies.Methods:Based on the colorectal cancer screening program for key populations in Zhejiang Province from 2020 to 2022, parameters such as initial screening positivity rates, colonoscopy compliance rates, and detection rates for colorectal-related lesions among residents aged 50-74 were obtained. Questionnaire surveys assessed program costs and direct medical costs associated with colorectal cancer-related lesions. From a health system perspective, the cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated using the Early Detection Cost Index (EDCI) and the cost per detected case, followed by sensitivity analysis.Results:A total of 5 881 364 screenings were completed from 2020 to 2022. The initial screening positive rate (positive for either questionnaire or fecal immunochemical testing ) was 16.83%, with a colonoscopy compliance rates of 33.96% ( n=336 150). Detection rates for non-advanced adenomas, advanced adenomas, and colorectal cancer were 24.83% ( n=83 453), 11.91% ( n=40 033), and 1.01% ( n=3 397), respectively. Initial screening positivity rates and detection rates increased with age, while colonoscopy compliance rates decreased with age. Cost analysis showed a total project investment of 378 730 457 yuan, with initial screening costing 146 633 103 yuan (38.72%) and diagnostic colonoscopy 232 097 354 yuan (61.28%). The average cost per initial screening and diagnostic colonoscopy was 24.93 and 690.46 yuan, respectively. Direct medical costs for non-advanced adenomas, advanced adenomas, and colorectal cancer at stages Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and Ⅳ were 4 921, 8 380, 42 547, 62 156, 66 720, and 72 334 yuan, respectively. Cost-effectiveness analysis indicated that screening needed to detect one case of colorectal cancer required 1 731 people and cost 111 490 yuan; the cost per detected advanced adenoma was 9 460 yuan, and the EDCI was 0.09. Costs decreased with increasing age per detected colorectal lesion. Sensitivity analysis showed that increasing colonoscopy compliance could reduce the cost-effectiveness ratio. Conclusions:The colorectal cancer screening program for key populations in Zhejiang Province demonstrates cost-effectiveness. Improving colonoscopy compliance can enhance overall screening effectiveness and economic benefits.

Objective:To determine the types of genetic variants in six Chinese pedigrees affected with Marfan syndrome (MFS) and analyze their clinical characteristics and molecular pathogenesis.Methods:Six MFS pedigrees presented at the Taizhou Enze Medical Center (Group) between 2017 and 2022 were selected as the study subjects. Clinical data of pedigrees were retrospectively analyzed. Peripheral blood samples were collected from the probands and their family members for the extraction of genomic DNA. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was carried out. Candidate variants of the FBN1 gene were verified by Sanger sequencing. Based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), pathogenicity of the candidate variants was assessed. AlphaFold3 and PyMOL software were used for homology modeling of the FBN1 protein and analysis of its three-dimensional structure and amino acid sequence conservation. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Taizhou Enze Medical Center (Group) (Ethics No. 20231002). Results:Cardiovascular system abnormalities were noted in all pedigrees, ocular abnormalities were present in pedigrees 2 and 5, skeletal system abnormalities were presented in pedigrees 1, and 4 to 6. FBN1 gene mutations were identified in all pedigrees, including c. 1957_1958dupGT (p.Asp654fs), c. 5014T>A (p.Cys1672Ser), c. 8135delC (p.Pro2712fs), c. 2302G>T (p.Glu768*), c. 3473A>G (p.Glu1158Gly) and c. 6169C>T (p.Arg2057*), with each involving a different exon. Four variants were rated as pathogenic, one as likely pathogenic, and one as variant of uncertain significance. Among these, c. 5014T>A (p.Cys1672Ser), c. 1957_1958dupGT (p.Asp654fs), c. 8135delC (p.Pro2712fs), and c. 2302G>T (p.Glu768*) were unreported previously. Bioinformatic analysis with SIFT and PolyPhen-2 predicted that the c. 5014T>A (p.Cys1672Ser) and c. 3473A>G (p.Glu1158Gly) variants were deleterious. Protein homologous sequence alignment analysis revealed that the four novel mutation sites are highly conserved across various species. Homology modeling of the FBN1 protein three-dimensional structure indicated that the six variant sites in the amino acid sequence are all close to hydrogen bonds and may alter the secondary and tertiary structures to varying degrees, thereby confirmed the relationship between the variants and MFS. Conclusion:Four novel variants of the FBN1 gene have been discovered in this study, which has enriched the mutational and phenotypic spectrum of MFS and provided a basis for disease diagnosis and genetic counseling.

This article reports the diagnosis and treatment of a patient with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) initially manifested as acquired von Willebrand syndrome (AvWS), along with a literature review. The patient, a 22-year-old male, was diagnosed with hereditary von Willebrand disease at the initial stage due to repeated mucosal bleeding, and was later diagnosed with DLBCL (non germinal center type, Ann Arbor stage Ⅳ) due to chest wall mass. Through chemotherapy combined with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and zebutinib maintenance therapy, the patient achieved sustained complete remission, and the coagulation function returned to normal. This case provides an important reference for the diagnosis and treatment of lymphoma associated AvWS, and highlights the importance of early recognition of basic diseases.