Early onset of renal cancer in a family with Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome

Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome is a hereditary syndrome characterized by benign disease of skin and lungs and a risk of malignant renal tumors. We describe a clinical and genetic study of a large Dutch family with a novel mutation in the FLCN gene. Renal cancer at very young age occurred in one branch of this family, while in other branches, cutaneous and pulmonary symptoms predominated. A variety of congenital anomalies and connective tissue abnormalities were observed, possibly associated with the gene mutation.