Colorectal (colon) cancer (MFHP: Cancer)

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Personal and family health history risk factors for “Increased Risk”

  1. You have had colorectal, colon, or rectal cancer.
  2. You have Lynch syndrome (LS), also known as hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC).
  3. You have had any polyps.
  4. You have familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP).
  5. You have inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease).
  6. You have had endometrial/uterine cancer.
  7. A relative (parent, sibling, half-sibling, child, grandparent, aunt, uncle) has Lynch syndrome/HNPCC or FAP.
  8. A first-degree relative (father, mother, sibling, child) has had colon, colorectal, or rectal cancer.
  9. A first-degree relative (father, mother, sibling, child) has had polyps.
  10. Two or more of your second-degree relatives (aunts, uncles, grandchildren, half-siblings) have had colon, colorectal, or rectal cancer.
  11. One or more of your second-degree relative(s) (aunts, uncles, grandchildren, half-siblings) have had colon, colorectal, or rectal cancer before age 50.
  12. One or more of your relative(s) (mother, sisters, daughters, aunts, grandmothers, granddaughters, half sisters) have had uterine cancer before the age of 50.
  13. Two or more of your relatives (mother, sisters, daughters, aunts, grandmothers, granddaughters, half sisters) have had uterine cancer.
  14. You or one or more relatives have had a LS-related cancer before age 50 (colorectal, endometrial/uterine, gastric, ovarian, pancreatic, kidney, and brain).
  15. Two or more members of your family have had another LS-related cancer at any age (colorectal, endometrial/uterine, gastric (stomach), ovarian, pancreatic, kidney, and brain).

“What to do next” outputs:

  • All outputs include links to Learn more about hereditary colorectal (colon) cancer and Learn about genetic testing and counseling
  • If any are positive, output is “Increased Risk”
  • #1 is positive, #2 is negative, and #3–15 are positive or negative
    • Talk with your healthcare provider about
      • Your risk and family history of cancer
      • Appropriate follow-up care and screening
      • If Lynch syndrome screening is appropriate
    • Share this information with your family members
  • #2 is positive and #1 and #3–15 are positive or negative
    • Talk with your healthcare provider about
      • Your risk and family history of cancer
      • Appropriate follow-up care and screening
    • Share this information with your family members
  • #1 and #2 are negative, one or more of #3–15 are positive
    • Talk with your healthcare provider about
      • Your risk and family history of cancer
      • If Lynch syndrome screening is appropriate
    • Share this information with your family members
  • #1–15 are negative:
    • Discuss appropriate screening options with your healthcare provider
    • Be sure to update your family history with any new cancer diagnoses

This algorithm is based on information from: