A large family with CYLD cutaneous syndrome: medical genetics at the community level

J Community Genet. 2020 Jul;11(3):279-284. doi: 10.1007/s12687-019-00447-2. Epub 2019 Dec 3.

Abstract

Germline mutations in the cylindromatosis gene (CYLD) are associated with a rare autosomal dominant disease known as CYLD cutaneous syndrome (CCS). Patients present multiple neoplasms originating from skin appendages. Here, we investigated the main clinical and molecular features of a large family with CCS having lived in a small Brazilian town for 6 generations, making its prevalence significantly high. We observed a predominance of the disease among males and a wide phenotypic variation. A high frequency of basal cell carcinomas among affected people was found. The mutation c.2806C>T, p.Arg936* in the CYLD gene was detected in all patients. In this work, a geographical cluster of CCS was found, which raised some community genetics issues related not only to the high prevalence of a rare disease in a limited area but also to the strong social stigma associated with the disease.

Keywords: Basal cell carcinoma; Brooke-Spiegler; CYLD; Cylindroma; Medical population genetics; Trichoepithelioma.

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