Identical twins both developed a high grade brain tumor and shared inherited gene changes
Original title: Concordant high-grade glioma in monozygotic twins with germline variants in ATM, FANCC, and FANCM: a case report on combined DNA repair deficiency.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was tested in people. That is the most reliable kind of research we share.
This is a report about two patients, not a test of any treatment.
The short version
Doctors report on identical twins who both got a fast growing brain tumor and carried the same inherited gene changes.
What was studied. This is a case report about two identical twins. Doctors looked at their brain tumors and at gene changes the twins were born with.
What they found. Both twins developed a high grade glioma: A tumor that starts in the glial cells, the support cells of the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas are graded 1 to 4 by how fast they tend to grow. See the glossary. That is a fast growing brain tumor. The report says the twins carried inherited changes in three genes, called ATM, FANCC, and FANCM. These genes help the body repair damaged DNA. The full summary of this report was not available, so no other details or numbers can be given here.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: For families, this report is a reminder that some brain tumors may be linked to gene changes a person is born with. If you have a strong family history of cancer, you can ask your care team about genetic counseling. This report does not change any treatment.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean a new treatment is coming. It is a case report about two people, not a study that tests whether anything works. Findings in one family may not apply to anyone else. It does not show a cause, and it is not a promise of a cure. Nothing here changes the care you get today.
Source: PubMed, July 2, 2026 · Read the original
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