Symptoms & Characteristics

by shashank
(chandigarh, India)

Symptoms & Characteristics

Lynch syndrome, often called hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC), is a type of hereditary cancer of the digestive tract, particularly the colon (large intestine) and rectum. People with Lynch syndrome have an increased risk to develop cancers of the stomach, small intestine, liver, gallbladder ducts, upper urinary tract, brain, skin, and prostate. Women with this disorder also have a high risk of cancer of the endometrium (lining of the uterus) and ovaries. Even though the disorder was originally described as not involving noncancerous (benign) growths (polyps) in the colon, people with Lynch syndrome may occasionally have colon polyps. In individuals with this disorder, colon polyps occur at an earlier age than in the general population. Although the polyps do not occur in greater numbers than in the general population, they are more likely to become cancerous.