Effective Identification of Lynch Syndrome in Gastroenterology Practice

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Identification of Lynch syndrome is important from an individual patient and public health standpoint. As paradigms for Lynch syndrome diagnosis have shifted in recent years, this review will discuss rationale and limitations for current strategies as well as provide an overview of future directions in the field. RECENT FINDINGS: In recent years, the use of clinical criteria and risk scores for identification of Lynch syndrome have been augmented by universal testing of all newly diagnosed colorectal cancers with molecular methods to screen for mismatch repair deficiency with high sensitivity and specificity. Studies of implementation and outcomes of universal testing in clinical practice have demonstrated significant heterogeneity that results in suboptimal uptake and contributes to disparities in diagnosis. Emerging technologies, such as next-generation sequencing, hold significant promise as a screening strategy for Lynch syndrome. SUMMARY: Universal testing for Lynch syndrome is being performed with increasing frequency, although real-world outcomes have demonstrated room for improvement. Future directions in Lynch syndrome diagnosis will involve optimization of universal testing workflow and application of new genetics technologies.