A REVIEW OF HEREDITARY COLORECTAL CANCERS

Course overview

COLORECTAL CANCER IS THE FOURTH LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE WORLD. MANY CASES OF COLORECTAL CANCER ARE ASSOCIATED WITH LIFESTYLE FACTORS SUCH AS OBESITY AND LACK OF EXERCISE, INADEQUATE CONSUMPTION OF FRUITS, VEGETABLES, FIBER, FISH, VITAMIN C, DAIRY PRODUCTS, AND VITAMIN D, AND EXCESSIVE CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL AND RED MEAT. THE INHERITED COLORECTAL CANCER SYNDROMES ARE A SERIES OF DISEASES IN WHICH SPECIFIC MUTATIONS PREDISPOSE TO COLORECTAL CANCER. THEY ARE MORE AGGRESSIVE AND HAVE A WORSE PROGNOSIS, SINCE THEY GENERALLY FORM ADDITIONAL TUMORS AND DO NOT ALWAYS RESPOND TO CHEMOTHERAPY. THIS ACTIVITY WILL REVIEW THE MOST COMMON GENETIC SYNDROMES ASSOCIATED WITH COLORECTAL CANCER AND OUTLINE THE MEDICAL AND SURGICAL TREATMENT APPROACH ACCORDING TO CURRENT EVIDENCE. THIS ACTIVITY WILL HIGHLIGHT THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN RECOGNIZING AND TREATING COLORECTAL CANCER.