Hereditary Aspects of Colorectal Cancer: Mismatch Repair Genes Drive Lynch Syndrome

Lynch syndrome is the most common inherited form of colorectal cancer, affecting approximately 1 in 279 individuals, or 1.2 million people in the United States. It’s also associated with a predisposition to endometrial, ovarian, and stomach cancers, among others. Advanced practitioners should be familiar with the genetics for this syndrome, as well as guidelines for screening and managing this common hereditary predisposition.