Mismatch repair protein status of non-neoplastic uterine and intestinal mucosa in patients with Lynch syndrome and double somatic mismatch repair protein mutations

Abstract

Mismatch repair (MMR) protein-deficient non-neoplastic colonic crypts and endometrial glands (dMMR crypts and glands) have been reported as a unique marker of underlying Lynch syndrome (LS). However, no large studies have directly compared the frequency of detection in cases with double somatic (DS) MMR mutations. We retrospectively analyzed 42 colonic resection specimens (24 LS and 18 DS) and 20 endometrial specimens (9 LS and 11 DS), including 19 hysterectomies and 1 biopsy for dMMR crypts and glands. All specimens were from patients with known primary cancers, including colonic adenocarcinomas and endometrial endometrioid carcinomas (including 2 mixed carcinomas). Four blocks of normal mucosa away from the tumor were selected from most cases, as available. MMR immunohistochemistry specific to the primary tumor mutations was analyzed. dMMR crypts were found in 65% of LS and 0% of DS MMR-mutated colonic adenocarcinomas (P < .001). Most dMMR crypts were detected in the colon (12 of 15) compared to the ileum (3 of 15). dMMR crypts showed single and grouped losses of MMR immunohistochemical expression. dMMR glands were found in 67% of LS and 9% (1 of 11) of DS endometrial cases (P = .017). Most dMMR glands were found in the uterine wall, with 1 LS and 1 DS case exhibiting dMMR glands in the lower uterine segment. Most cases exhibited multifocal and grouped dMMR glands. No morphologic atypia was identified in dMMR crypts or glands. Overall, we demonstrate that dMMR crypts and glands are highly associated with underlying LS, while being rarer in those with DS MMR mutations.

Keywords: Colon cancer; Double somatic; Endometrial cancer; Lynch syndrome; Microsatellite instability; Mismatch repair deficiency.