45,000 women were diagnosed with endometrial cancer in the United States in 2010 — and for nearly 900, cancer was due to Lynch syndrome.

Women who have Lynch syndrome have an increased risk of getting endometrial cancer during their lifetime that is as high as 60 percent. Often endometrial cancer (cancer of the lining of the uterus) is the first Lynch-related cancer diagnosed, earlier than colon or rectal cancer.

Identifying a mutation in these women can prevent future colorectal cancers and discover ovarian, gastric, and other Lynch cancers early when they can be treated successfully.

And not only does this help the woman with endometrial cancer, it helps her family as well if they are tested for the inherited mutation and take steps to reduce their risk of future cancers. Read the rest of this entry »

Screening all new colon and rectal cancer tumors for markers that might indicate Lynch syndrome not only saves future lives, it is cost effective according to a new study.

In order for tumor screening to be cost-effective, not only should new tumors be tested, but family members need to follow through with genetic testing after a new Lynch mutation is found.  Finally people with Lynch syndrome mutations need to follow surveillance guidelines to prevent cancer or find it early,

Testing both tumors and at least three to four family members could cost as little of $36,000 per life year saved — well within the value of preventive health strategies. Read the rest of this entry »

Digestive Disease Week 2011 Update

Finding colorectal cancer patients with Lynch syndrome helps both patients and their families to prevent cancer.

Lynch patients are at high risk for a second or third colon cancer, so identifying them before their colorectal surgery may change the operation planned.  Surgeons may want to remove the entire colon to prevent another colon cancer, and women may choose to have a hysterectomy during the same surgery to prevent endometrial cancer.

Because young patients are more likely to have Lynch syndrome, pathologists at the Mayo Clinic tested tumors from patients 50 years old or younger for microsatellite instability (MSI) after their surgery if they had not been tested preoperatively. Read the rest of this entry »

Miss last week’s webinar?  It’s right here.

Listen to Dr. Henry Lynch talk about his early experience with families with unusually high numbers of colorectal and other cancers.  Hear what he has to say about finding families at risk and preventing cancer deaths.

Lynch syndrome survivor, Kate Murphy, shares her own story and that of her family.

Read the rest of this entry »

If doctors ask  healthy people simple questions about cancers in their families, they can find people who are at increased risk for Lynch syndrome, an inherited condition that greatly increases risk for colorectal and uterine cancer.

Doctors can use a simple set of screening questions available online to pinpoint an individual’s risk before that person ever gets cancer.   The online tool takes less than two minutes to complete.

If family history shows an individual to be at higher risk, genetic testing not only saves lives but is cost-effective.

Once Lynch syndrome is diagnosed, active steps can be taken to prevent Lynch-associated cancers or diagnose them early when they can be cured. Read the rest of this entry »