Open AccessLung cancer family history and exposure to occupational/domestic coal combustion contribute to variations in clinicopathologic features and gene fusion patterns in non‐small cell lung cancer
Author(s) -
Chen Ying,
Li Guangjian,
Lei Yujie,
Yang Kaiyun,
Niu Huatao,
Zhao Jie,
He Rui,
Ning Huanqi,
Huang Qiubo,
Zhou Qinghua,
Huang Yunchao
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
thoracic cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.823
H-Index - 28
eISSN - 1759-7714
pISSN - 1759-7706
DOI - 10.1111/1759-7714.12987
Subject(s) - lung cancer , medicine , fusion gene , adenocarcinoma , cancer , cancer research , metastasis , lung , carcinogen , oncology , pathology , gene , genetics , biology
Background Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of cancer and its mutant spectrum. Lung cancer has familial aggregation. Lung cancer caused by non‐tobacco factors has unique pathological and molecular characteristics. The interaction between genetic lung cancer susceptibility and carcinogens from coal burning remains complex and understudied. Methods We selected 410 non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with a family history of lung cancer (FLC) and exposure to coal combustion between 2014 and 2017. Clinicopathologic parameters were analyzed. Reverse transcription‐PCR was performed to detect ALK , ROS1 , RET , and NTRK1 rearrangement. Results Among the 410 NSCLC patients, 192 had FLC and 204 (49.8%) were exposed to occupational or domestic coal combustion. FLC patients had the same characteristics regardless of gender and coal exposure: younger age, high female ratio, adenocarcinoma, increased metastasis, later stage at diagnosis, and higher frequency of gene fusion. Sixty‐seven patients (16.3%) had gene rearrangement: 51 (12.4%) harbored EML4‐ALK fusions and 16 ROS1 fusions (3.9%). The highest gene fusion rate (35.1%, 33/94) occurred in patients with both FLC and high tobacco and coal exposure. ALK fusions and total gene rearrangement were closely associated with women, never smokers, younger age, FLC, and coal exposure. Conclusion FLC and exposure to coal combustion have an important impact on the clinicopathological characteristics and gene fusion mode of NSCLC, particularly in cases of higher levels of carcinogens, and genetic susceptibility has a greater impact. Our findings may help evaluate the effect of FLC and coal exposure on the pathogenesis of lung cancer.