Journal Article

Hereditary Colorectal Cancer

Lynch, Henry T, de la Chapelle, Albert

2003

Overview

Colorectal cancers among patients with a familial risk of this disorder account for approximately one of five cases of this disease. Many cases can be prevented by the identification of those at risk and the use of appropriate colonoscopic screening. This article, part of the Genomic Medicine series, provides an in-depth review of the two most common forms of familial colorectal cancer. The annual incidence of colorectal cancer in the United States is approximately 148,300 (affecting 72,600 males and 75,700 females), with 56,600 deaths (in 27,800 males and 28,800 females). 1 The lifetime risk of colorectal cancer in the general population is about 5 to 6 percent. 1 Patients with a familial risk — those who have two or more first- or second-degree relatives (or both) with colorectal cancer — make up approximately 20 percent of all patients with colorectal cancer, whereas approximately 5 to 10 percent of the total annual burden of colorectal cancer is mendelian in nature — that is, it is . . .

• Publisher: Massachusetts Medical Society
• Subject: Adenomatous Polyposis Coli - diagnosis / Adenomatous Polyposis Coli - genetics / Adenomatous Polyposis Coli - prevention & control / Age / Biological and medical sciences / Colorectal cancer / Colorectal Neoplasms - genetics / Colorectal Neoplasms - prevention & control / Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis - diagnosis / Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis - genetics / Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis - prevention & control / Family medical history / Female / Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen / Genetic counseling / Genetic Testing / Genetics / Germ-Line Mutation / Humans / Male / Medical sciences / Microsatellite Repeats / Mortality / Mutation / Pedigree / Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus / Tumors