Women's Health
Lynch syndrome: Reclaiming power
This inherited cause of colorectal cancer also raises the risks of various other types of malignancies. But there are ways to curtail its reach.
- Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
No one wants to learn they're at higher risk for cancer. But it's not all bad news for people with an inherited condition called Lynch syndrome, who can use their knowledge to prevent cancers from developing or progressing and empower family members to do the same.
About one in every 280 Americans — 1.1 million people in all — has the disorder, according to the National Cancer Institute. Lynch syndrome is the most common cause of hereditary colorectal cancer, and people with it are also much more likely to develop a range of other malignancies — including uterine and ovarian cancers, which only affect women. They're also likelier to develop cancer before age 50.
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About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
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