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Familial adenomatous polyposis

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is an inherited condition in which numerous polyps form mainly in the epithelium of the large intestine. While these polyps are benign, they may become malignant, predisposing patients to colorectal cancer. more...

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Signs and symptoms

From the age of 16 onward, patients develop hundreds to thousands of polyps. These may bleed, leading to admixture of blood in the stool. If the blood is not visible, it is still possible for the patient to develop anemia due to gradually developing iron deficiency. If malignancy develops, this may present with weight loss, altered bowel habit, or even with metastasis in the liver or elsewhere.

The genetic determinant in familial polyposis may also predispose carriers to other malignancies, e.g. of the duodenum and stomach. Other signs that may point at FAP are pigmented lesions of the retina ("congenital hypertrophy of the retinal pigment"), jaw cysts, sebaceous cysts, and osteomata (benign bone tumors). The combination of polyposis, osteomas, fibromas and sebaceous cysts is termed Gardner syndrome (with or without abnormal scarring).

Diagnosis and treatment

In patients with a strong family of colorectal cancer and symptoms suggestive of polyposis, colonoscopy is indicated, with biopsy of a number of polyps (especially of those that appear dysplastic). In severe cases, a full or partial colectomy is required.

Blood tests (liver enzymes) and ultrasound of the abdomen are often performed to rule out metastasis to the liver.

Genetic testing provides the ultimate diagnosis in 95%; genetic counseling is usually needed in families where FAP has been diagnosed. Testing may also aid in the diagnosis of borderline cases in families that are otherwise known to have the FAP mutation.

Pathophysiology

FAP is due to mutations in the APC gene, which is located on the fifth chromosome (5q21-q22), or in the MUTYH gene located on chromosome 1 (p34.3-p32.1).

APC is a tumour suppressor gene, acting as a "gatekeeper" to prevent development of tumours. Mutation of APC also occurs commonly in incident cases of colorectal carcinoma, emphasizing its importance in this form of cancer.

Although the polyps are inherently benign, the first step of the two-hit hypothesis has already taken place: the inherited APC mutation. Often, the remaining "normal" allele is mutated or deleted, accelerating generation of polyps. Further mutations (e.g. in p53 or KRAS) to APC-mutated cells are much more likely to lead to cancer than they would in non-mutated epithelial cells.

The normal function of the APC gene product is still being investigated; it is present both the cell nucleus and the membrane. The canonical tumor-suppressor function of Apc is suppression of the oncogenic protein beta-catenin. However, other tumor-suppressor functions of Apc may be related to cell adherence and cytoskeleton organization.

Read more at Wikipedia.org


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APC stool test: Early detection of colorectal cancer? - New Tests - adenomatous polyposis coli, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine - Brief Article
From Medical Laboratory Observer, 3/1/02

Analyzing fecal DNA for mutations of adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene can identify early cases of colorectal cancer, according to a report in the Jan. 31 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Doctors at The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore obtained stool samples from 28 patients with nonmetastatic colorectal cancers, 18 patients with adenomas that were at least 1 cm in diameter, and from 28 control patients without neoplastic disease. DNA was extracted from the sample and screened for APC mutation, using an approach known as digital protein truncations.

The researchers found that 26 of the 46 patients with neoplastic disease and 17 of the 28 cancer patients had APC mutations. In contrast, no mutations were identified in any of the patients without neoplastic disease. In patients with positive tests, the mutant genes accounted for 0.4 percent to 14.1 percent of all APC genes found in the stool.

Dr. Bert Vogelstein, who led the team of researchers, believes that "in an average risk patient, the sensitivity of the test could easily reach 70 percent." The specificity "is going to be close to 100 percent because the test is clearly based on the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer," he adds.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Nelson Publishing
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group

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