# Case Report: Whole-genome sequencing of urothelial carcinoma in an adult patient with CLOVES syndrome reveals a lack of PIK3CA mutation and a genomic landscape consistent with urothelial carcinoma

**Authors:** Lauren McAuley, Orla Fitzpatrick, Nicola Cosgrove, Jad Yacoub, Liam Grogan, Bryan T. Hennessy, Simon J. Furney, Sinead Toomey

PMC · DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2026.1704090 · Frontiers in Oncology · 2026-02-20

## TL;DR

Whole-genome sequencing of a urothelial carcinoma in a patient with CLOVES syndrome found no PIK3CA mutations, indicating the cancer was unrelated to the syndrome.

## Contribution

This case report provides genomic insights into urothelial carcinoma in a CLOVES syndrome patient, showing no PIK3CA mutations.

## Key findings

- Somatic alterations in the tumor were consistent with typical urothelial carcinoma features.
- No somatic PIK3CA mutations were detected in the tumor tissue.
- Homozygous deletions of CDKN2A and CDKN2B were observed.

## Abstract

Congenital lipomatous overgrowth, vascular epidermal nevi, and skeletal abnormalities (CLOVES) syndrome is a rare genetic disorder caused by somatic activating mutations in the PIK3CA gene that arise during embryonic development. Mutations in the PI3K–AKT–mTOR pathway have been linked to various benign overgrowth disorders, including syndromes within the PIK3CA-related overgrowth spectrum. Somatic PIK3CA mutations also occur frequently across many cancer types; however, evidence linking CLOVES syndrome to increased cancer risk is not conclusive. Here, we describe a whole-genome sequencing (WGS) study of a primary pT3 high-grade urothelial carcinoma in a 62-year-old male patient diagnosed with CLOVES syndrome. A left laparoscopic nephroureterectomy was completed. Tumour tissue and a matched blood sample were collected for whole-genome sequencing, and somatic variant detection was performed. The somatic alterations were consistent with previous reports of urothelial carcinoma, including homozygous deletions of CDKN2A and CDKN2B. In this case, we could not detect somatic PIK3CA alterations in this patient’s urothelial carcinoma and suggest that it is unrelated to CLOVES syndrome.

## Linked entities

- **Genes:** PIK3CA (phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha) [NCBI Gene 5290], CDKN2A (cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 2A) [NCBI Gene 1029], CDKN2B (cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 2B) [NCBI Gene 1030]
- **Diseases:** CLOVES syndrome (MONDO:0013038), urothelial carcinoma (MONDO:0040679)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** CDKN2A (cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 2A) [NCBI Gene 1029] {aka ARF, CAI2, CDK4I, CDKN2, CMM2, INK4}, SETD2 (SET domain containing 2, histone lysine methyltransferase) [NCBI Gene 29072] {aka HBP231, HIF-1, HIP-1, HSPC069, HYPB, KMT3A}, KMT2D (lysine methyltransferase 2D) [NCBI Gene 8085] {aka AAD10, ALR, BCAHH, CAGL114, KABUK1, KMS}, TSC1 (TSC complex subunit 1) [NCBI Gene 7248] {aka LAM, TSC}, BPY2B (basic charge Y-linked 2B) [NCBI Gene 442867] {aka VCY2B}, PIK3CB (phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit beta) [NCBI Gene 5291] {aka P110BETA, PI3K, PI3KBETA, PIK3C1}, PIK3CA (phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha) [NCBI Gene 5290] {aka CCM4, CLAPO, CLOVE, CWS5, HMH, MCAP}, CDKN2B (cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 2B) [NCBI Gene 1030] {aka CDK4I, INK4B, MTS2, P15, TP15, p15INK4b}, BPY2C (basic charge Y-linked 2C) [NCBI Gene 442868] {aka VCY2C}, PRDM4 (PR/SET domain 4) [NCBI Gene 11108] {aka PFM1}, AKT1 (AKT serine/threonine kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 207] {aka AKT, PKB, PKB-ALPHA, PRKBA, RAC, RAC-ALPHA}, MAPK1 (mitogen-activated protein kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 5594] {aka ERK, ERK-2, ERK2, ERT1, MAPK2, NS13}, MAP2K1 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 5604] {aka CFC3, MAPKK1, MEK1, MEL, MKK1, PRKMK1}, CREBBP (CREB binding lysine acetyltransferase) [NCBI Gene 1387] {aka CBP, KAT3A, MKHK1, RSTS, RSTS1}, ERCC2 (ERCC excision repair 2, TFIIH core complex helicase subunit) [NCBI Gene 2068] {aka COFS2, CXPD, EM9, TFIIH, TTD, TTD1}, CDY1 (chromodomain Y-linked 1) [NCBI Gene 9085] {aka CDY, CDY1A}, MTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase) [NCBI Gene 2475] {aka FRAP, FRAP1, FRAP2, RAFT1, RAPT1, SKS}, DAZ4 (deleted in azoospermia 4) [NCBI Gene 57135] {aka pDP1680, pDP1681}, DAZ3 (deleted in azoospermia 3) [NCBI Gene 57054] {aka pDP1679}
- **Diseases:** pectus excavatum (MESH:D005660), Overgrowths (MESH:C537340), embryonic renal cancer (MESH:D009373), neurological deficits (MESH:D009461), genetic disorder (MESH:D030342), VAF (MESH:D006316), invasive disease (MESH:D009361), bladder cancer (MESH:D001749), megalencephaly capillary malformation polymicrogyria (MCAP) syndrome (MESH:C566381), MCAP (MESH:D058627), hemimegalencephaly (MESH:D065705), skeletal abnormalities (MESH:D009139), polymicrogyria (MESH:D065706), capillary vascular malformations (MESH:D054079), kyphosis (MESH:D007738), peripheral neuropathy (MESH:D010523), lower limb weakness (MESH:D018908), Cancer (MESH:D009369), CLOVES syndrome (MESH:C567863), Wilms tumour (MESH:D009396), numbness (MESH:D006987), atrophy of spinal discs (MESH:D009134), radiculopathy (MESH:D011843), spinal canal stenosis (MESH:D013130), lipoma (MESH:D008067), atrophy of paraspinal muscles (MESH:D009133), UC (MESH:D014523), pain (MESH:D010146), lipomatous (MESH:D008080), Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome (MESH:D007715)
- **Chemicals:** platinum (MESH:D010984)
- **Species:** Mus musculus (house mouse, species) [taxon 10090], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]
- **Mutations:** E542K, p.Arg88Gln, p.Arg108His, p.Gly364Arg, p.Gln546Leu, P124L, H1047L, p.Pro539Arg, E545

## Full text

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## Figures

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## References

17 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12962928/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12962928