NEW YORK (360Dx) – The UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence today issued guidance recommending patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer be tested for Lynch syndrome.
The guidance recommends microsatellite instability testing or immunohistochemistry be used to detect abnormalities that may lead to Lynch syndrome.
Lynch syndrome is the most common cause of hereditary bowel cancer, and patients with it have an increased risk of developing other cancers, including womb, ovarian, and stomach cancer, NICE said. Testing for Lynch syndrome will help to determine whether family members may also be at risk of developing cancer.
If someone is determined to be at risk for having the syndrome, NICE recommends additional testing for confirmation. It added that testing for Lynch syndrome could lead to better monitoring of potential cancers, as well as improved treatment decisions.
Lynch syndrome accounts for about 3 percent of colorectal cancers in the UK, and leads to more than 1,100 colorectal cancers each year, NICE said.