Cancer Risk for First-Degree Relatives of Patients with Hyperplastic Polyposis Syndrome

Hyperplastic polyposis syndrome (HPS) is characterized by multiple polyps in the colon and associated with increased risk for colorectal cancer (CRC). Although the genetic basis for HPS remains unknown, studies have described HPS patients with multiple affected family members. Do first-degree relatives (FDRs) of HPS patients also have increased risk for CRC?

To find out, researchers in the Netherlands conducted a retrospective cohort study involving 347 FDRs (41% men) from 57 pedigrees. HPS was defined as 5 hyperplastic polyps or sessile serrated adenomas proximal to the sigmoid, 2 of which were >10 mm, or >20 hyperplastic polyps or sessile serrated adenomas anywhere in the colon.

During 11,053 person-years of follow-up, CRC was observed in 2…