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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffPeople with Lynch syndrome may experience:
- Colon cancer that occurs at a younger age, especially before age 45
- A family history of colon cancer that occurs at a young age
- A family history of endometrial cancer
- A family history of other related cancers, including ovarian cancer, kidney cancer, stomach cancer, small intestine cancer, liver cancer and other cancers
When to see a doctor
If you have concerns about your family history of colon or endometrial cancer, bring it up with your doctor. Request a genetic evaluation of your family history and your cancer risk.
If a family member has been diagnosed with Lynch syndrome, tell your doctor. Ask to be referred to a genetic counselor. Genetic counselors are trained in genetics and counseling. They can help you understand Lynch syndrome, what causes it and what type of care is recommended for people who have Lynch syndrome. A genetic counselor can also help you sort through all the information and help you understand whether genetic testing is appropriate for you.
- Genetics of colorectal cancer (PDQ): Health professional version. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/genetics/colorectal/healthprofessional. Accessed Dec. 16, 2009.
- Lindor NM, et al. Concise handbook of familial cancer susceptibility syndromes. Journal of the National Cancer Institute Monographs. 2008;38:1.
- Lynch HT, et al. Review of the Lynch syndrome: History, molecular genetics, screening, differential diagnosis and medicolegal ramifications. Clinical Genetics. 2009;76:1.
- Lindor NM, et al. Recommendations for the care of individuals with an inherited predisposition to Lynch syndrome: A systematic review. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2006;296:1507.
- Offit K, et al. Genetic factors: Hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes. In: Abeloff MD, et al. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone; 2008:180.
- Koornstra JK, et al. Management of extracolonic tumours in patients with Lynch syndrome. Lancet Oncology. 2009;10:400.
- Making sense of your genes: A guide to genetic counseling. National Society of Genetic Counselors. http://www.nsgc.org/client_files/GuidetoGeneticCounseling.pdf. Accessed Dec. 16, 2009.
- Lindor NM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 19, 2009.
