A population based cohort study of patients with multiple colon and endometrial cancer: correlation of microsatellite instability (MSI) status, age at diagnosis and cancer risk

Hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer, HNPCC, is an autosomal dominant condition predisposing to cancers of primarily the colorectum and the endometrium. The aim of our study was to identify persons at a high risk of hereditary colorectal cancer and to estimate their risk of colon and other HNPCC-associated tumours. Family histories of cancer were obtained on 89 persons with double primary (DP) cancers of the colon and the endometrium. The cancer risks in their 649 first-degree-relatives (FDR) were analysed. The microsatellite instability (MSI) status of the tumour of the proband was also analysed and the cancer risks were estimated in relation to MSI status and age at diagnosis in the proband (over or under 50 years). The overall standardised incidence ratio (SIR) was 1.69 (95% CI; 1.39-2.03). In the =50-year-old cohort the SIR was 2.67 (95% CI; 2.08-3.38). Colon, rectal and uterus cancer exhibited significantly increased risks. This risk was further increased in the =50-year-old MSI positive families. Several =50-year-old MSI negative HNPCC-like families with increased risks were also identified. In conclusion a FDR to a person with a DP cancer of the colorectum or the colon/endometrium have a significantly increased risk of having a colorectal or other HNPCC-associated cancers if the proband is diagnosed with one of the cancers before age 50. These families are candidates for genetic counselling and colorectal screening programmes. Mutations in mismatch repair genes can explain some of the increased risk in these families, but mutations in MSI negative families are probably due to other colon cancer susceptibility genes not yet described.