Depression is highly prevalent in those diagnosed with cancer and is also associated with poorer prognostic outcomes. Mindfulness-based interventions are effective in reducing depressive symptoms and improving quality of life in patients with cancer. The objective of this review was to investigate whether mindfulness practices can improve survival and, if so, what mechanisms of action may contribute to these outcomes.
https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.3322/caac.21733
Management guidelines for Lynch syndrome may require revision in light of these different gene and gender-specific risks and the good prognosis for the most commonly associated cancers.
The St Mark’s Lynch Syndrome Clinic is undertaking a range of projects which are being supported by 40tude Curing Colon Cancer. One of the projects aims to develop more tests which facilitate the prevention and early diagnosis of cancer in people with Lynch Syndrome (LS).
Dr Kevin Monahan, a consultant gastroenterologist at St Mark’s, says, ‘‘We’re working closely with people with LS to design national health services – our work can’t be achieved without them. The FIT for Lynch Study is the first longitudinal study of its kind which will assess the potential role of faecal immunochemical testing (FIT) as a means of bowel cancer surveillance in people with LS.
Recently, an appreciation of the mechanism of carcinogenesis in LS-associated cancers has contributed to the development of novel therapeutic and diagnostic approaches, with a gene-specific approach to disease management, with potential cancer-preventing vaccines in development. An adaptive approach to surgical or oncological management of LS-related cancers may be considered, including an important role for novel checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy in locally advanced or metastatic disease. Therefore, a personalised approach to lifelong gene-specific management for people with LS provides many opportunities for cancer prevention and treatment which we outline in this review.
https://fg.bmj.com/content/early/2022/06/01/flgastro-2022-102123
All cancers are genetic because changes in genes cause cells to grow out of control, leading to the disease. However, genetic does not mean hereditary.
Hereditary cancers are cancers that pass from generation to generation via genes. These cancers comprise only a small portion of colon cancers.
Lynch syndrome causes about 5% of all colorectal cancers.
Women’s health resources has just gotten a whole lot better! With the launch of http://thisisgo.ie cancer genetics today.
“We see women and their families impacted by gynaecological cancer as partners in their care”
The most commonly cited barriers to testing are lack of awareness, difficulty of access, and cost. (USA)….despite known benefits, uptake for genetic testing has been slow: only 1 in 5 individuals use recommended genetic services even when there is a significant family history of colorectal, breast, or ovarian cancer.
Early detection of hereditary cancers and subsequent medical or surgical intervention decreases mortality, therefore this missed opportunity means an immense loss of lives.
https://www.onclive.com/view/two-fellows-use-online-resources-to-boost-genetic-testing
Most people with Lynch syndrome are well, but someone with LS has a 40-70% chance of developing colon cancer, and women also have a similar risk of cancer of the womb. All those with LS have an increased risk of many other types of cancer. The genetic mutations which cause Lynch Syndrome can be passed on from one generation to the next, with a 50% risk of a child inheriting this condition.
The programme has four main aims:
1) Effective diagnosis and identification of people with LS in the UK
2) Improve understanding of the biological mechanism of cancer development of people with LS
3) Develop additional tests which facilitate the prevention and early diagnosis of cancer in people with LS
4) Reduction in the variation of – and improvement in access to – care for people with LS in the UK
A genetic mutation like Lynch syndrome is not a guarantee that you will develop cancer, but it gives you an increased risk that you will be diagnosed with certain cancers in your lifetime.
Lynch Syndrome Ireland 