Colorectal cancer early screening is recommended at more frequent intervals and starting at a younger age for those at increased risk due to hereditary syndromes. Due to the fact that germline mutations are present in every cell, it is essential to be aware of the higher risk for extra colonic tumors in these syndromes, but each has a distinct spectrum of risk in other organs.

According to the American Gastroenterological Association has published a position statement and guidelines on genetic testing for hereditary colon cancer. The integration of genetic testing into clinical practice provides multiple benefits to individuals in families with histories of colorectal cancer. These benefits include earlier detection of colorectal neoplasms and prevention of cancer, removal of patient doubt, greater choice of surgical and other intervention options, elimination of unnecessary screening, and provision of information for planning family and career decisions. In hereditary colon cancer, genetic testing has been shown to be cost-effective. (more…)

We mostly blame the sun for melanoma. UV radiation from the sun can damage the DNA in your cells. Sometimes the damage is to the certain genetic code that controls how and when your cells grow and divide. When that happens cells begin to grow out of control and eventually we call it a cancer (melanoma to be precise).

Causes of Melanoma

Most UV radiation is from the sun, but there are other common sources of UV radiation. The most common source of UV radiation (aside from the sun) is a tanning bed. Be careful when using a tanning bed – don’t overdo it!

Most UV exposure that leads to skin cancer occurred to people in their childhood or young adult years. Children and young adults usually get a lot of intense sun exposure when they are young, but the resultant cancer may not show up for years or decades! (more…)