A new lifesaving genetic screening program has been developed by UT Southwestern Medical Center for families at high risk of contracting colorectal cancer, the second-leading cancer killer after lung cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.
The new program allows for tumor screening of colorectal cancer patients younger than 70 years and uterine cancer patients younger than 55 years and determines if there is a high risk for a genetic cancer predisposition syndrome. If a patient screens positive for a genetic syndrome, the testing of as many family members as possible is encouraged.
“If we can bring in family members of those who have been diagnosed, we have a chance to catch their colon cancer early and even prevent it,” said Dr Samir Gupta, assistant professor of internal medicine at UT Southwestern and head of the high-risk colorectal cancer clinic at Parkland MemorialHospital.
The new testing procedure has already identified 11 patients with Lynch syndrome. Patients with Lynch syndrome have an 80% risk of developing colorectal cancer, up to a 60% risk for uterine cancer, and a higher than average risk for other cancer types.
“If a parent has Lynch syndrome, there’s a 50% chance one of their kids will also get it,” said Linda Robinson, genetic counselor supervisor at UT Southwestern. “We’re sometimes the first people telling them they’re not going to die of cancer. We know what it’s caused by, and we can prevent it.”
Source: UT Southwestern Medical Center.