Clinical Features of GAPPS
Gastric Manifestations in GAPPS
A key feature of gastric adenocarcinoma and proximal polyposis of the stomach (GAPPS) is extensive fundic gland polyposis in the proximal regions of the stomach with antral (distal) sparing. For more information, see the Gastric polyps section in Genetics of Gastric Cancer.[1] Since GAPPS is rare, literature on this syndrome primarily exists in the form of case reports and case series.[2,3,4,5,6] The incidence of gastric adenocarcinoma (intestinal or mixed types) in patients with GAPPS is 12% to 25% with age of diagnosis ranging from 23 years to 75 years.[5,6,7] Fundic gland polyposis (which precedes gastric adenocarcinoma) has occurred as early as 8 years in patients with GAPPS.[8] Gastric polyps range in size, with most polyps measuring less than 1 cm.[5,6,7] However, in GAPPS, gastric polyps can grow up to 4 cm in size. These polyps can be densely packed with extensive carpeting that covers the gastric mucosa without any visible normal mucosa. Most gastric polyps in GAPPS have fundic gland pathology with or without dysplasia. However, other pathologies are also seen, including hyperplastic polyps, adenomas, and hyperproliferative aberrant crypts. In a histological review of 25 patients, 15 patients had abnormal endoscopic biopsies.[6] Of these 15 individuals, 10 had hyperproliferative aberrant crypts, 10 had fundic gland polyps, 6 had gastric adenomas, 1 had an adenoma associated with gastric adenocarcinoma, and 1 had gastric adenocarcinoma. The penetrance of fundic gland polyposis and gastric adenocarcinoma can vary between different families and among family members with the same APCpathogenic variant. In a study of 24 Czech patients from 8 families (all had the same germline c.-191T>C APC promotor 1B variant), some developed gastric polyposis in their 20s while others had not yet developed polyposis at age 65 years.[5] Five individuals in this study developed gastric adenocarcinoma between the ages of 29 years and 64 years.
Colorectal Manifestations in GAPPS
Individuals with GAPPS may also have a propensity to develop colon polyps, although polyps are not thought to develop at an earlier age than those seen in the general population.[7,9] It has been postulated that APC's promoter 1A compensates for promoter 1B's dysfunction in the colonic mucosa, likely sparing the colorectum of polyposis. However, promoter 1A is methylated in the gastric mucosa, resulting in isolated gastric polyposis.[10] Nevertheless, GAPPS is caused by pathogenic variants in the same gene (APC) that causes familial adenomatous polyposis and can therefore, theoretically increase risk of colonic neoplasia.
Clinicopathologic evaluation of two families with GAPPS phenotypes (based on clinical criteria) demonstrated that seven of nine affected individuals had colon pathology.[9] In contrast, the six first-degree relatives (FDRs) in the study without GAPPS diagnoses had normal colonoscopies. In this study, the average age of individuals with GAPPS was 43.9 years (range, 20–71 y), whereas the average age of FDRs without GAPPS was 32.2 years (range, 18–51 y). In the GAPPS group, four of nine individuals had tubular adenomas in the colon, the youngest of whom was 48 years old. The colorectal polyps in individuals with GAPPS had increased beta-catenin, Ki67, and p53 expression. This expression pattern was also noted in the fundic gland polyps of these individuals, suggesting that GAPPS may be responsible. In the first paper that described GAPPS, 13 individuals with GAPPS underwent colonoscopy, in which six individuals (age, 18–37 y) did not have polyps, three individuals (age, 31–56 y) had tubular adenomas (including a 46-year-old individual who developed eight tubular adenomas over 4 years), and four individuals had hyperplastic polyps (one was located in the proximal colon, and the rest were located in the rectosigmoid colon).[7] Notably, none of the individuals had colonic polyposis. Colonoscopy findings were available for eight family members who did not have GAPPS. Three of these individuals (age, 55–77 y) had a single tubular adenoma with or without villous features. The other five individuals were less than 45 years old (age, 29–36 y) and had normal colonoscopies. In contrast to these studies, a report from eight French families with an APC pathogenic variant in promoter 1B revealed colonic polyposis in multiple members, which required colectomy.[10,11] When these data are taken together, it is unclear whether individuals with GAPPS develop colonic neoplasia any earlier than individuals in the general population. However, there appears to be a trend in which individuals with GAPPS develop more polyps than individuals in the general population.
References:
- Huang CZ, Lai RX, Mai L, et al.: Relative risk factors associated with the development of fundic gland polyps. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 26 (11): 1217-21, 2014.
- Repak R, Kohoutova D, Podhola M, et al.: The first European family with gastric adenocarcinoma and proximal polyposis of the stomach: case report and review of the literature. Gastrointest Endosc 84 (4): 718-25, 2016.
- Mitsui Y, Yokoyama R, Fujimoto S, et al.: First report of an Asian family with gastric adenocarcinoma and proximal polyposis of the stomach (GAPPS) revealed with the germline mutation of the APC exon 1B promoter region. Gastric Cancer 21 (6): 1058-1063, 2018.
- Beer A, Streubel B, Asari R, et al.: Gastric adenocarcinoma and proximal polyposis of the stomach (GAPPS) - a rare recently described gastric polyposis syndrome - report of a case. Z Gastroenterol 55 (11): 1131-1134, 2017.
- Foretová L, Navrátilová M, Svoboda M, et al.: GAPPS - Gastric Adenocarcinoma and Proximal Polyposis of the Stomach Syndrome in 8 Families Tested at Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute - Prevention and Prophylactic Gastrectomies. Klin Onkol 32 (Supplementum2): 109-117, 2019.
- de Boer WB, Ee H, Kumarasinghe MP: Neoplastic Lesions of Gastric Adenocarcinoma and Proximal Polyposis Syndrome (GAPPS) Are Gastric Phenotype. Am J Surg Pathol 42 (1): 1-8, 2018.
- Worthley DL, Phillips KD, Wayte N, et al.: Gastric adenocarcinoma and proximal polyposis of the stomach (GAPPS): a new autosomal dominant syndrome. Gut 61 (5): 774-9, 2012.
- Grossman A, Colavito J, Levine J, et al.: Filling in the "GAPPS": an unusual presentation of a child with gastric adenocarcinoma and proximal polyposis of the stomach. Gastric Cancer 25 (2): 468-472, 2022.
- McDuffie LA, Sabesan A, Allgäeuer M, et al.: β-Catenin activation in fundic gland polyps, gastric cancer and colonic polyps in families afflicted by 'gastric adenocarcinoma and proximal polyposis of the stomach' (GAPPS). J Clin Pathol 69 (9): 826-33, 2016.
- Li J, Woods SL, Healey S, et al.: Point Mutations in Exon 1B of APC Reveal Gastric Adenocarcinoma and Proximal Polyposis of the Stomach as a Familial Adenomatous Polyposis Variant. Am J Hum Genet 98 (5): 830-842, 2016.
- Lagarde A, Rouleau E, Ferrari A, et al.: Germline APC mutation spectrum derived from 863 genomic variations identified through a 15-year medical genetics service to French patients with FAP. J Med Genet 47 (10): 721-2, 2010.