If you are diagnosed with Lynch syndrome

Lynch syndrome genetic and predictive testing

Important information and support for people who have been confirmed as having Lynch syndrome.

Regular checking for cancer

You can read more about the symptoms of:

We recommend that you are vigilant about your body and let your GP know if you are concerned about any of these symptoms.

Bowel screening

You can have regular colonoscopy screening to check for bowel polyps or cancer. Regular bowel screening reduces the risk of bowel cancer.

The age at which you are screened from may depend on which Lynch-related gene is involved.

You can read more about having a colonoscopy, how to prepare and how to take the medicine to clear your bowel.

Screening for other cancers

There is currently no effective screening for womb (endometrial) cancer, ovarian cancer or the other cancers associated with Lynch syndrome.

Preventing cancer with treatment

Risk-reducing surgery

If you have female reproductive organs and do not wish to have children or more children, you may consider having risk-reducing surgery to remove the womb, ovaries and fallopian tubes (the tubes that connect the ovaries and the womb).

Personalised advice about this option is available through our hereditary bowel cancer service.

Chemoprevention

We may recommend taking aspirin daily as a cancer prevention therapy.

You can read more about chemoprevention or you can talk to the genetics research team.

Infections

H. pylori is a common infection in the stomach that can increase the risk of stomach cancer. You can request testing for this through your GP. If it is confirmed that you have the H. pylori infection, you may need further treatment to get rid of it.

Support

Undergoing diagnostic testing and receiving the results can be a challenging time. Some people may wish to talk through their feelings, coping strategies and other issues before making a decision, or after their result.

Support is available. Your genetics clinician will discuss these with you in more detail so you can choose what the best sources of support will be for you. They include:

the hereditary bowel cancer service
clinical psychologist
your GP
cancer charities

The hereditary bowel cancer service

If we find you have a Lynch Syndrome mutation, we will send you an invitation to this clinic and a psychological questionnaire to complete. At your appointment, you will be able to ask questions and discuss your management in detail with a team of specialists.