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    Drugs & Diseases > Dermatology

    Birt-Hogg-Dube Syndrome (BHDS)

    Updated: Jul 22, 2021
    • Author: Michelle Bongiorno; Chief Editor: Dirk M Elston, MD  more...
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    Overview

    Background

    Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome (BHDS) is an autosomal dominant disorder clinically manifested by fibrofolliculomas, renal cell carcinoma, lung cysts, and spontaneous pneumothorax.

    In 1977, Birt, Hogg, and Dubé reported small papular skin lesions distributed over the scalp, forehead, face, and neck in 15 of 70 members in a kindred study. Histologic examination of the lesions revealed fibrofolliculomas, trichodiscomas, and acrochordons. The presence of this triad has been termed Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7] However, evidence suggests that these three lesions may actually represent only one lesion, the fibrofolliculoma, cut in various planes of section or during different stages of maturation. [3, 8, 9]

    Multiple or bilateral renal carcinomas have been reported in association with this syndrome, most commonly hybrid oncocytic tumors with features of chromophobe renal carcinoma (50%), followed by chromophobe renal cancer, clear cell renal carcinoma, and renal oncocytoma. [10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19] Of patients with Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome, 12-34% develop renal tumors, typically in the fourth and fifth decades of life. [20, 21, 22]

    Pulmonary cysts and spontaneous pneumothoraces have also been increasingly reported manifestations of Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome. [23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30] Pulmonary cyst are present in 24-95% of Birt-Hogg-Dubé patients. [25, 31, 32] Additionally, the overall risk of having a pneumothorax in patients with Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome is 29%. [20] Even with these pulmonary complications of Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome, most patients have preserved pulmonary function or mild obstructive pulmonary disease. [32, 33]

    Other, less commonly associated features include a large connective-tissue nevus, parathyroid adenomas, flecked chorioretinopathy, bullous emphysema, lipomas, angiolipomas, parotid oncocytomas, multiple oral mucosal papules, neural tissue tumors (including neurilemomas), multiple facial angiofibromas, and desmoplastic melanoma. [34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41] Colonic polyps and colonic adenocarcinoma had previously been described with Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome; however, several large cohort studies failed to demonstrate such findings. [26, 42, 43] Additionally, medullary thyroid cancer was reported in nine members of the original family described by Birt, Hogg, and Dubé, but it has not been reported in subsequent cases. A case of neuroendocrine cancer of prostate or bladder origin has also been reported. [44]

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    Pathophysiology

    Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome is caused by a mutation in the folliculin (FLCN) gene that has been mapped to the short arm of chromosome 17, specifically 17p11.2. [24, 21] Since its discovery, over 100 unique mutations in FLCN, caused by insertion/deletions, nonsense or splice-site mutation, have been identified. [20, 21, 22, 45, 46, 47, 48] While the poly C tract in exon 11 of the folliculin gene is the mutational hotspot, multiple other germline mutations have been detected. [39, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53] The folliculin mutation detection rate was 88% by direct bidirectional DNA sequencing in the National Cancer Institute Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome cohort. Folliculin mutation databases have been established by Wei and colleagues at the National Cancer Institute and by the European BHDS Consortium. [22, 45, 54]

    FLNC has two known binding partners, FLNC-interacting protein 1 (FNIP1) and FLNC-interacting protein 2 (FN1P2). These complexes interact with 5’-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) that is part of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, which is involved in cellular energy, cytokinesis, cell motility, cellular adhesion, and nutrient sensing. [38, 39, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59]

    FLNC is a tumor suppressor gene, but the manifestations of Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome appear to have several mechanisms of activation. Pradella et al suggest that FLCN may not always follow a classic two-hit model of tumorigenesis and may alternatively be a noncanonical tumor suppressor gene. This was demonstrated by the somatic PTEN deletion in parotid tumors in addition to the germline loss of FLCN, thereby following a model of compound heterozygosity, instead of the classic two-hit mutation. [49] Benhammou et al and Nahorski et al noted other changes, besides germline mutations, in FLCN causing a folliculin mutation. FLCN protein instability or deletion of a FLCN exon caused reduced protein production, thus supporting the theory of haploinsufficiency and contributing to disease pathogenesis. [60, 61, 62]

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    Etiology of BHDS

    The cause is unknown, but Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome (BHDS) is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern. Several reports suggest Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome may result from the inactivation of a tumor-suppressor gene, which results in the cutaneous hamartomas associated with internal neoplasia. The Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome gene locus has been localized to band 17p11.2.

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    Epidemiology

    Frequency

    Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome is uncommon in the United States. Several families have been reported since Birt, Hogg, and Dubé described the original kindred in 1977.

    Race

    No racial predilection is reported in Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome. Perifollicular fibromas may represent a part of the spectrum of lesions in Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome and are reported only in white and light-skinned persons.

    Sex

    No sexual predilection is reported in Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome. Reports of patients with perifollicular fibromas have demonstrated no predilection for either sex.

    Age

    Cutaneous lesions are found in 82-92% of Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome patients by age 25 years. [21, 22, 46, 51] Dermatologic manifestations typically have an earlier onset than associated renal cell cancer. Spontaneous pneumothorax develops most frequently before age 40 years. [25]

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    Prognosis

    The prognosis depends on associated internal disease. Mortality and morbidity associated with Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome may be related to associated internal manifestations, such as renal cell carcinoma, pulmonary cysts, and spontaneous pneumothoraces. [63] Papillary renal cell carcinoma has malignant potential, while pure renal oncocytomas are benign. Evaluate colonic polyps for malignant potential. Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome patients with a history of smoking appear to have more severe lung disease than those who do not smoke. [64] Otherwise, the morbidity of cutaneous lesions is limited to cosmetic appearance.

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    Patient Education

    Instruct patients with Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome to encourage family members to be screened using renal ultrasonography and CT scanning of the abdomen and pelvis because Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome is autosomal dominant.

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