Clinical and genetic aspects of differential diagnostics of hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer

Abstract

Lynch syndrome was synonymous with hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer for a long time, however, mapping of the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes has led to distinguish Lynch syndrome as an independent syndromic unit from a number of Lynch-like syndromes that phenotypically mimic with the most frequent hereditary variant of colon cancer but genetically representing quite a heterogeneous group. This article presents up to date clinical and genetic characteristics of Lynch syndrome and Lynch-like conditions.