Cancer germline predisposing variants and late mortality from subsequent cancers among long-term childhood cancer survivors

Carriers of cancer predisposing variants are at an increased risk of developing subsequent cancers among those who have survived childhood cancer. Analysis of two retrospective cohort studies (the St Jude Lifetime Cohort and the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study) investigated whether cancer predisposing variants contribute to the risk of subsequent malignant neoplasm-related late mortality (5 years or longer after diagnosis). Predisposing variants in 60 known cancer-predisposition genes were identified 5.1% of participants. These were significantly associated with an increased severity and mortality of subsequent malignant neoplasms. The authors conclude that identifying survivors of childhood cancer at increased risk of subsequent malignancies might reduce the substantial subsequent malignant neoplasm-related mortality burden.