Cowden syndrome and Lhermitte-Duclos disease in a family: a single genetic syndrome with pleiotropy?

J Med Genet. 1994 Jun;31(6):458-61. doi: 10.1136/jmg.31.6.458.

Abstract

Cowden syndrome is an autosomal dominant condition of multiple hamartomas. Patients with this phakomatosis have an increased risk of breast cancer and thyroid tumours. Lhermitte-Duclos disease is usually a sporadic condition of cerebellar ganglion cell hypertrophy, ataxia, mental retardation, and self-limited seizure disorder. We describe a three generation family with Cowden syndrome and Lhermitte-Duclos disease. Karyotyping performed on the peripheral lymphocytes of the proband and her affected mother showed a 46,XX complement. Single strand conformational polymorphism analysis failed to show any germline p53 mutations as a cause of the syndrome in this family.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics
  • Cerebellar Diseases / complications
  • Cerebellar Diseases / genetics*
  • Cerebellar Diseases / pathology
  • Cerebellum / pathology
  • Child
  • Female
  • Fibroadenoma / genetics
  • Genes, Dominant
  • Genes, p53
  • Hamartoma Syndrome, Multiple / complications
  • Hamartoma Syndrome, Multiple / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Hypertrophy
  • Male
  • Pedigree
  • Polymorphism, Genetic
  • Syndrome