Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer.

Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) is an autosomal dominant colon cancer syndrome. The first description of a cancer-prone family with HNPCC dates back to the late 1800s.1 However, it was not until the work of Lynch in the 1970s that a more complete clinical picture of this disorder began to emerge.2,3 The diagnosis of HNPCC has, until recently, been based primarily on family history. As a result, reliably differentiating patients with HNPCC from those with sporadic cancer has been difficult. However, the constellation of several clinical characteristics, in addition to family history, may raise suspicion of HNPCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]