MEDizzy - A 24-year-old man whose father was just diagnosed with colon

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Immunology and Transplantation II

A 24-year-old man whose father was just diagnosed with colon cancer presents to his family physician to discuss screening colonoscopy. His physician suspects that he has hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (HNPCC) or Lynch syndrome and recommends screening colonoscopy beginning at age 25. Which of the following is most supportive of a clinical diagnosis of HNPCC?

ExplanationD. The Amsterdam criteria are used to clinically diagnose hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) and consist of (a) at least 3 relatives with histologically confirmed colorectal cancer, one of whom is a first-degree relative of the other; (b) involvement of at least 2 successive generations; and (c) diagnosis of at least one of the cancers before age 50. Screening for patients with HNPCC should start either between the ages of 20 and 25 or 10 years earlier than the youngest family member with colorectal cancer, whichever comes earlier. This recommendation differs than that for the average-risk patient, for whom screening should begin at age 50.