Family history and colorectal cancer

About one in four colorectal cancer patients have a family history of colorectal cancer.

A family history of colorectal cancer means any of the following are true:

• At least one immediate family member (parent, brother, sister, child) was diagnosed under the age of 60.
• Multiple second-degree relatives (grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.) were diagnosed with colorectal cancer or advanced polyps (risk increases if diagnosed before the age of 45).

About 5-7% of colorectal cancer patients inherited a gene mutation that greatly increased their lifetime risk.

These mutations include:

• Lynch syndrome
• FAP
• Muir-Torre syndrome

These genetic factors also increase your lifetime risk of being diagnosed with colorectal cancer:

• You have a cluster of family members diagnosed with colorectal cancer, referred to as familial colorectal cancer.
• You inherit a harmful DNA mutation from a parent. This impacts approximately 5-7% of all colorectal cancer patients.

People with a family history of cancer should getscreened atage 40 or 10 years before the youngest case in your immediate family, whichever is earlier.

Talk to your family and learn your family history. Then share that information with your doctor.