A study of 381 individuals with Lynch Syndrome in New Zealand (98 with Lynch Syndrome-associated variants in MLH1, 159 in MSH2, 103 in MSH6, and 21 in PMS2) found that risks for colorectal cancer were lower in MSH6 and PMS2 carriers, suggesting that it might be possible to spread out colonoscopy intervals for these individuals.1 Findings also indicated that not removing the polyps completely were responsible for 1/3 of surveillance-detected colorectal cancers.
In people with Lynch Syndrome, the risk of getting a second (also called ‘metachronous’) colorectal cancer is higher. In a recent study, risk factors for getting a metachronous colorectal cancer included a history of colorectal polyps and having an MLH1 or MSH2 mutation, while protective factors included female sex and extended surgical resection.2 This highlights the importance of genetic testing and counseling for Lynch Syndrome prior to surgery, which can influence surgical strategy and lead to better outcomes.
1Lamba et al. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2020;18(12):2768-2774. PMID: 32240831. Social media post March 13th, 2023. Available at https://tinyurl.com/post3132023.
2Signoroni et al. Int J Clin Oncol. 2020;25(9):1644-1652. PMID: 32430733. Social media post March 19th, 2023. Available at https://tinyurl.com/post3192023