The Finnish Controlled Trial on Colorectal Cancer Screening in HNPCC Families: 15-Year Follow-Up

For members of at-risk hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) families, current evidence-based guidelines recommend colonos-copy screening every 2 years from age 20 to 40 and annually thereafter. Genetic testing should be performed in families who meet the Amsterdam criteria; in families with suggestive histories not meeting the Amsterdam criteria, tumors can be evaluated for microsatellite instability followed by genetic testing if positive. These Finnish researchers report the 15-year results from screening of22 families with HNPCC.

In a nonrandomized design, 133 family members underwent screening initially at 5-year intervals and later at 3-year intervals, and 119 family members who declined screening served as controls. Screen…