Study shows inherited genetic ailment associated with earlier onset prostate cancer
Men with Lynch syndrome not only face a higher risk of prostate cancer, but they also seem to acquire the disease at a younger age, according to new research.
About 1 in 440 people are carriers of the Lynch syndrome, a genetic mutation that is linked to a higher risk of several types of cancer, including colorectal, endometrial, gastric, ovarian, urinary tract, pancreatic, brain, and now prostate cancer.
For the study, researchers examined 4127 men from 198 families with a strong family history of cancer who were enrolled in registries at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center or at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Compared with an 18% lifetime risk of prostate cancer among the general population, researchers estimated a 30% lifetime risk of disease among men with a Lynch syndrome mutation. Furthermore, men aged 20 to 59 years with the mutation also had a higher risk of prostate cancer compared with the general public.
Although recent guideline recommendations advise against prostate cancer screening in men younger than 75 years with no symptoms, lead study author Victoria M. Raymond, a certified genetic counselor with the University of Michigan’s Cancer Genetics Clinic, said, “Our study suggests men with Lynch syndrome might benefit from regular prostate cancer screening.”
The study is published online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Source: University of Michigan Health System.