title: Caring for patients at risk for hereditary colorectal cancer.
abstract: About 6% of colorectal cancers are caused by genetic mutations associated with hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes. The most common hereditary cancer syndromes nurses are likely to encounter include hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer or Lynch syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis, attenuated familial adenomatous polyposis, and MYH polyposis. Current colorectal cancer recommendations for risk management, screening, and surveillance are complex and based on level of colorectal cancer risk and whether an individual carries a genetic mutation associated with a hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome. Caring for patients with hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes requires nurses to understand how to identify individuals and families at risk for hereditary colorectal cancer, refer to appropriate resources, and provide accurate information regarding screening, surveillance, and management. Nurses play a critical role in assessing colorectal cancer risk, obtaining an accurate family history of cancer, and providing information concerning appropriate cancer screening and surveillance.
authors.affiliation: RN to BSN Program, Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing, Portland, Oregon 97239-2941, USA. grecok@ohsu.edu
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Greco
mesh_terms: D011125:Adenomatous Polyposis Coli / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*; D003113:Colonoscopy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*; D003123:Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*; D005817:Genetic Counseling; D005820:Genetic Testing; D016045:Human Genome Project; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing; D008487:Medical History Taking; D009154:Mutation; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D018579:Patient Selection; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors