FAMILIAL ADENOMATOUS POLYPOSIS

Course overview

FAMILIAL ADENOMATOUS POLYPOSIS (FAP) OR FAMILIAL POLYPOSIS COLI (FPC) IS AN AUTOSOMAL DOMINANT POLYPOSIS SYNDROME WITH VARYING DEGREES OF PENETRANCE. IF UNTREATED, PATIENTS WILL DEVELOP HUNDREDS TO THOUSANDS OF POLYPS THROUGHOUT THE COLON AND RECTUM. POLYPS OFTEN DEVELOP IN THE EARLY TEENAGE YEARS AND RESULT IN A NEARLY 100 PERCENT LIFETIME RISK OF COLORECTAL CANCER BY AGE FORTY IF UNTREATED. COLECTOMY IS NECESSARY FOR SUBSTANTIAL RISK REDUCTION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF COLORECTAL CANCER. FAP CORRELATES WITH OTHER MALIGNANCIES INCLUDING GASTRIC AND DUODENAL CANCERS, HEPATOBLASTOMAS, AND DESMOID TUMORS. THIS ACTIVITY WILL ASSIST PRACTITIONERS IN RECOGNIZING WHEN TO CONSIDER THE DIAGNOSIS OF FAMILIAL ADENOMATOUS POLYPOSIS AND HOW TO MANAGE IT. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE CRITICAL ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL CARE TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.