Category: Monitoring

FIT for Lynch Study – New diagnostic techniques for bowel cancer detection and prevention

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. 

FIT for Lynch Study – New diagnostic techniques for bowel cancer detection and prevention
FIT for Lynch Study – New diagnostic techniques for bowel cancer detection and prevention

Diagnosis and management of Lynch syndrome

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

thisisgo.ie Cancer Genetics Section

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 National(UK) Lynch Programme supported by 40tude

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

The Diagnosis and Management of Lynch Syndrome Guideline Patient Companion (AGA)

The Diagnosis and Management of Lynch Syndrome Guideline Patient Companion

Guidelines for the management of hereditary colorectal cancer from the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG)/ Association of Coloproctologists of Great Britain and Ireland (ACPGBI)/ United Kingdom Cancer Genetics Group (UKCGG)

These guidelines are primarily aimed at healthcare professionals and address:

  • Who should have surveillance?
  • When should surveillance take place?
  • What else can we do to prevent cancer?
  • What kind of surgery should we perform in people with hereditary cancer risk?
  • Who is eligible for gene testing, and what kind of testing should we perform?

Click to access LaySummary.pdf