TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE ON THE PREVENTION OF FAMILIAL COLORECTAL CANCER.

question 1 of 7
My father and sister were diagnosed with colorectal cancer and treated. Does this mean that I will also have cancer?
  1. True
  2. False
question 1 of 7
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The answer is false: there is no way to predict who will have colorectal cancer. However, keep in mind that your risk of cancer is 2 to 3 times bigger than that of the general population. It will be even higher if you have other close family members diagnosed with colorectal cancer, especially if developed before the age 50.

question 2 of 7
A small percentage of diagnosed colorectal cancers is linked to hereditary syndromes, the most common of which is the Lynch syndrome or HNPCC.
  1. True
  2. False
question 2 of 7
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About 5% of all diagnosed colorectal cancers are associated with the inherited syndrome HNPCC (Lynch syndrome). This is a "non-polyposis" syndrome, meaning that patients develop a relatively low number of polyps in the gut. Nevertheless, people with the disorder have a high risk of developing colorectal cancer. HNPCC is the most common hereditary syndrome.

question 3 of 7
Women with HNPCC have an increased risk of developing endometrial cancer, with an average diagnosis age of 20.
  1. True
  2. False
question 3 of 7
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HNPCC is associated with an increased risk (27-71%) of endometrial cancer in women, but developing late at around the age of 46 years. The main problem associated with this syndrome is the very high risk of colorectal cancer in both men (28-75%) and women (25-52%) at very young age. Despite these high probabilities, some HNPCC carriers never develop cancer.

question 4 of 7
In my family history, it is not the same to have two close relatives from different sides of the family diagnosed with colorectal cancer, or two from the same side of the family with the disease.
  1. True
  2. False
question 4 of 7
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Two or more cases of colorectal cancer on the same side of the family (maternal or paternal) can indicate a hereditary component on the disease. This genetic relationship (transmission/inheritance) is not relevant if the relatives are from different branches of the family. For this reason, the two sides should be analyzed individually, and the risk only increases if the affected relatives have the same ancestry.

question 5 of 7
The Amsterdam criteria identify people with a family history of cancer that should be genetically tested. According to it, cancer associated with HNPCC should affect:
  1. Two close relatives
  2. Two consecutive generations
  3. Two women in the family
question 5 of 7
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A simple mnemonic to remember what are the Amsterdam criteria is “3,2,1”: 3 affected family members (one being a first-degree relative of the other), 2 consecutive generations, 1 family member diagnosed under 50. All of the criteria must be fulfilled.

question 6 of 7
The genetic test for HNPCC begins with the analysis of a tumor sample from a family member affected by colorectal cancer.
  1. True
  2. False
question 6 of 7
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There are, in fact, tests done on tumors - such as the microsatellite instability test (MSI) – before any diagnostic test, that help determining if the person needs a genetic test, and the type of mutation that should be investigated. However, a cancer patient who meets the Amsterdam or the Bethesda criteria can have straightaway the genetic test, without prior analysis of the tumor.

question 7 of 7
Genetic testing can only be performed on children in very exceptional situations. For example, in suspected familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP).
  1. True
  2. False
question 7 of 7
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FAP syndrome (less than 1% of all diagnosed colorectal cancers) is associated with an extremely high chance (almost 100%) of developing colorectal cancer. Polyps in this syndrome can grow in the colon from the age of 7, and as a result, it is recommended that children at risk have regular proctoscopy (endoscopy of the rectum and sigmoid colon) from the age of 10 -12. To avoid such invasive procedures in children/teenagers, who may not even have FAP, all children of FAP patients can, exceptionally, have a genetic test from the age of 10.

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Know… what is a polyp? How to avoid colorectal cancer? What differences distinguish the various types of tumors? (see)
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