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Lynch Syndrome is the most inheritable form of colorectal cancer and is caused by a change (mutation) in a specific gene. Genes are inherited from parents. Each person gets a set of genes from their mother and their father. If one of the genes inherited from either the mother or father has the mutation for Lynch Syndrome, the child has a 50% chance of developing Lynch Syndrome. One of the easiest ways to determine if someone is at risk for Lynch Syndrome is to conduct a thorough family history. Watch this 6 minute video about the value of the family history in your medical care.
Family History: A Window On Your Health
A multi-generation family history is the first step in screening for the possibility of Lynch Syndrome. Lynch Syndrome International recommends a free, public resource available through the Surgeon General's Family Health Initiative addressing documenting your family history. The Surgeon General's "My Family Health Portrait" is an internet based tool that makes documenting your family history easy. It assembles your information and makes a "pedigree" family tree that you can download and print to share with your family and healthcare provider. It takes about 15-20 minutes to complete.
If you do not want to use an internet based tool for taking your family history you can use this template to collect and document your family history. Be sure to make a copy for other family members and your health care provider.
If you do not want to use an internet based tool for taking your family history you can use this template to collect and document your family history. Be sure to make a copy for other family members and your health care provider.
Name:________________________ Date:__________
Date of Birth __________ Age ______ Gender (please circle) female male other
Patient cancer history.
(Please circle yes for those that apply to you and no for those that do not apply to you)
age at diagnosis comments
Colorectal cancer yes no ________ ________________________
Breast cancer yes no ________ ________________________
Ovarian cancer yes no ________ ________________________
Uterine cancer yes no ________ ________________________
Endometrial cancer yes no ________ ________________________
Kidney cancer yes no ________ ________________________
Urinary tract cancer yes no ________ ________________________
Stomach cancer yes no ________ ________________________
Brain cancer yes no ________ ________________________
Small Bowel cancer yes no ________ ________________________
Other cancer (please list) ________________ ________ ________________________
Answer the following questions. Circle Y for yes for those that apply to you and N for no for those that do not apply to you.
Y N Are you of Ashkenazi Jewish descent?
Y N Have you or a family member been told you have Lynch Syndrome?
Y N Have you or a family member been test for a hereditary genetic condition?
Please list any questions or concerns you may have in the space below:
Please answer the questions below. Please include parents, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, grandchildren, great grandchildren, grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, first cousins and half brothers and sisters
(Please circle yes for those that apply to your family and no for those that do not apply to your family)
age at diagnosis Comments
Colorectal cancer yes no ________ ________________________
Breast cancer yes no ________ _____________________ Ovarian cancer yes no ________ ________________________
Uterine cancer yes no ________ ________________________
Endometrial cancer yes no ________ ________________________
Kidney cancer yes no ________ ________________________
Urinary tract cancer yes no ________ ______________________
Stomach cancer yes no ________ ________________________
Brain cancer yes no ________ ________________________
Small Bowel cancer yes no ________ ________________________
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013). Public
Health Genomics Family Health History. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/genomics/famhistory/index.htm
Genome TV. (2009, December 15). Family History: A Window On
Your Health. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARTFoQ4oHfU
Lynch Syndrome International. (2012). The family history. Retrieved
from http://www.lynchcancers.com/index.php/the-family-history
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (2008). Lynch
Syndrome (Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer Syndrome or HNPCC).
[PDF]. Retrieved from https://www4.mdanderson.org/pe/index.cfm?pageName=opendoc&docid=2133
Is this statement correct? " If one of the genes inherited from either the mother or father has the mutation for Lynch Syndrome, the child is 50% more likely to develop Lynch Syndrome". Shouldn't it be ... 'has a 50% chance of developing Lynch Syndrome'.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your question. Your suggestion of wording is correct and what the author was attempting to convey from the reference. The correction was made in the blog. We appreciate you bringing this to our attention.
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