Why

Impact of Lynch Syndrome Tumor Screening

  • A diagnosis of Lynch Syndrome may affect the patient’s
    • surgical and chemotherapeutic management decisions
    • future medical care (giving them the ability to prevent additional Lynch related cancers)
  • Identification of a patient with Lynch Syndrome also provides the opportunity for the prevention of cancer among their family members who are at high risk.
    • First-degree relatives who test negative for the identified gene mutation (pathogenic variant) are no longer at increased risk for CRC or other Lynch Syndrome-related malignancies, nor are their children at risk for Lynch Syndrome.
    • Relatives who test positive for the familial mutation require colonoscopy every one to two years beginning at age 25, in addition to screening for non-colonic cancers.

Reasons to Screen

  • Without routine screening only 3% of individuals with Lynch syndrome are identified. Screening identifies cases that are/were being missed at your own or other institutions.
  • Many organizations recommend screening all newly diagnosed colorectal and endometrial tumors for Lynch syndrome:
  • Tumor screening is cost effective.
  • Nearly all patients favor tumor screening [Link to paper].
  • A number of institutions are already conducting tumor screening and your institution may fall behind without screening.