Lynch Syndrome: Understanding Hereditary Colorectal Cancer Risk

Lynch syndrome, also known as hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC), is an autosomal dominant trait characterized by early-onset colorectal cancer and an increased risk of other cancers, including endometrial, ovarian, gastric, pancreatic, hepatobiliary, urinary tract, and central nervous system cancers. Lynch syndrome is caused by mutations in mismatch repair (MMR) genes, which are important for repairing errors that occur during DNA replication. MMR gene mutations can be inherited or acquired sporadically.