Abstract
The majority of patients with colorectal polyps and cancer do not have a Mendelian cause of the disease. Age, lifestyle, and environmental factors interact with complex genetic traits to contribute to the etiology. However, approximately 5–10 % of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and more than 40 % of patients meeting specific clinical features of the hereditary polyposis syndromes have a discoverable, actionable genetic cause which will significantly alter their medical management.
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Carole Macaron, and Carol A. Burke declare that they have no conflict of interest. Brandie Heald is on the Speakers Bureau for Myriad Genetics Laboratory.
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This article contains studies with human subjects performed by the authors.
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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Large Intestine
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Macaron, C., Heald, B. & Burke, C.A. Using Genetics to Identify Hereditary Colorectal Polyposis and Cancer Syndromes in Your Patient. Curr Gastroenterol Rep 17, 39 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11894-015-0463-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11894-015-0463-z