Backing for UK Lynch syndrome testing policy

Tuesday May 30th, 2017

A British decision to extend testing for Lynch syndrome has been backed at a European conference.

Dutch researchers urged other countries to follow suit in a bid to identify more people with the genetic condition - which is strongly linked to colorectal cancer.

In the Netherlands, families of colorectal cancer patients under the age of 50 are offered testing for the syndrome, which is responsible for 5% of all cases of this cancer.

At the conference of the European Society of Human Genetics in Copenhagen, Denmark, yesterday, researchers unveiled evidence suggesting the benefits of offering testing to the families of patients up to the age of 70.

They reported a study of 87 patients thought to be likely to have Lynch's syndrome. Some 35 of these went for genetic testing - and mutations were found in 13 patients. Eight of these were over the age of 50.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines in the UK say that testing should be offered to all patients with colorectal cancer - regardless of age.

Professor Nicoline Hoogerbrugge, the Radboud university medical centre expert centre on hereditary cancers, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, said: “If we had not studied these older patients, their family predisposition to Lynch syndrome would not have been detected until it was too late.

“In every affected family, we can find an average of three people with Lynch. This is clearly a massive advance in the identification of people at risk.”

She added: “The age limit in the UK has recently been increased; although it is too early to be able to see signs of value there, we have been able to provide clear evidence of its advantages in The Netherlands, both for patients and for health services.”

Tags: Cancer | Europe | Gastroenterology | Genetics | UK News

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