CXCR4 WHIM syndrome is a cancer predisposition condition for virus‐induced malignancies

Abstract

SummaryWarts, hypogammaglobulinaemia, infections and myelokathexis syndrome (WHIMS) is a rare combined primary immunodeficiency caused by the gain of function of the CXCR4 chemokine receptor. We present the prevalence of cancer in WHIMS patients based on data from the French Severe Chronic Neutropenia Registry and an exhaustive literature review. The median follow‐up of the 14 WHIMS ‘patients was 28.5 years. A central review and viral evaluation of pathological samples were organized, and we conducted a thorough literature review to identify all reports of WHIMS cases. Six French patients were diagnosed with cancer at a median age of 37.6 years. The 40‐year risk of malignancy was 39% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6%–74%). We observed two human papillomavirus (HPV)‐induced vulvar carcinomas, three lymphomas (two Epstein–Barr virus [EBV]‐related) and one basal cell carcinoma. Among the 155 WHIMS cases from the literature, 22 cancers were reported in 16 patients, with an overall cancer 40‐year risk of 23% (95% CI: 13%–39%). Malignancies included EBV‐associated lymphoproliferative disorders and HPV‐positive genital and anal cancers as in the French cohort. Worldwide, nine cases of malignancy were associated with HPV and four with EBV. Immunocompromised WHIMS patients appear to be particularly susceptible to developing early malignancy, mainly HPV‐induced carcinomas, followed by EBV‐related lymphomas.