A common cancer risk you have never heard of

When a doctor asks you about your family history, is there someone around you who has cancer? They are worried about Lynch syndrome happening in you. Even so, like most people, you may not have heard of this concept. In fact, Lynch syndrome is a common carcinogenic risk that few people care about and know about.

50% of parents have hereditary Lynch syndrome for their children.

Lynch syndrome is the most common genetic cancer syndrome, affecting both men and women. It is caused by a genetic mutation , adversely affecting one of the 4 gene repair systems: MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2. They are collectively referred to as the body's " cancer prevention system ."

When this system is affected, it ignores genetic errors in the cell. Gradually accumulating this can lead to uncontrolled cell growth. And that is the end result you call cancer .

In people with Lynch syndrome, cancer has a chance to grow quickly. The disease usually occurs at the age of less than 50 and sometimes is 20 years old. If your parents have Lynch syndrome, there is a 50% chance they will pass it on to you, regardless of gender .

Even so, up to 95% of Lynch syndrome people know nothing about it. It is a pity that if discovered, they can apply more strategic measures to prevent, rather than suddenly suddenly getting a diagnosis of cancer someday.

What types of cancers will Lynch syndrome cause?

The syndrome is named after Dr. Henry Lynch, who developed the first document system about it.

Family cancer model with Lynch syndrome has been observed since the 1890s by Dr. Aldred Warthin. However, it was not until the 1960s and 1970s that Henry Lynch built the first documentary system.

The syndrome is named after him, to recognize Lynch's contributions during this time. He has established genetic facilities for Lynch syndrome. It contributes to proving that cancer is linked to genetic factors, which is also highly skeptical in the 1960s.

There is a common mistake, Lynch syndrome is often called hereditary colon cancer without polyps (benign tumor-like lesions). However, in fact, Lynch syndrome is not only an agent of colon cancer , and patients can develop polyps .

Colon and endometrial cancer are the two diseases most often associated with Lynch syndrome. In addition, it also increases the risk of ovarian, stomach, liver, gallbladder, urinary, brain, pancreas, skin, esophageal and small intestine cancers.

Lynch syndrome causes the most cases of colon cancer.

Some people with Lynch syndrome have very strange and difficult to detect tumors. For example, they may be abnormally thin or hidden polyps in patients with breast or intestinal cancer.

Diagnose Lynch syndrome

You have the right to suspect that you are carrying the Lynch syndrome gene, when a close family or relative has a common cancer history . Specific signs include: more than 3 family members with cancer, two generations in a row who become cancerous, a family member who has cancer at age 50.

In the absence of data on cancer history in the family, a doctor will still suspect Lynch syndrome, if you are under 50 years of age that have one or more manifestations of cancer.

Regardless of a patient suspected of having Lynch syndrome, a special diagnosis is called a family cancer test. There, experts will advise them on how to comprehensively evaluate and explain the process of the genes that cause cancer.

Lynch syndrome should be more concerned.

If consent is obtained from the patient and their family, the doctor will test tissue samples from past family members' tumors to find inappropriate genetic modification. Discovered, risk reduction strategies for patients with suspected Lynch syndrome will be identified. Other family members can then be searched for similar mutations only by simple blood tests.

How is Lynch syndrome control?

In case the Lynch syndrome has been identified, it needs to be controlled on the patient's body. A regular monitoring plan will be set up to detect early regardless of a cancer-related problem. Polyps are removed before they have a chance to develop into cancer.

More and more research has shown creative ways to reduce cancer risk from Lynch syndrome. For example, simple from the use of aspirin to complexity such as organ removal, typically ovary, the organ is more prone to cancer but difficult to detect.

People with Lynch syndrome must have regular endoscopy to detect abnormalities, such as intestinal polyps. In normal people, average polyps take 10 years to turn into cancer. But for those with Lynch syndrome, the number is only 35 months. Uterine cancer in normal people takes place over the age of 64. But for patients with Lynch syndrome, it appears from the age of 42.

Understanding Lynch syndrome helps better take care of family health.

Regular monitoring plans also depend on each family that has Lynch syndrome. For example, a family with a history of stomach cancer, members will need to perform regular endoscopy every year.

All diagnostic and control measures for Lynch can now work quite effectively. It helps you avoid cancer coming from genetic factors. Unfortunately, not many people understand and do that. Even, people are very strange when they hear about Lynch syndrome.

Therefore, awareness raising is the most important thing to do now. It will be the responsibility of health professionals and organizations to help the public better understand Lynch's syndrome and its risks.