Prophylactic Surgery to Reduce the Risk of Gynecologic Cancers in the Lynch Syndrome - January 19, 2006 NEJM

Prophylactic Surgery to Reduce the Risk of Gynecologic Cancers in the Lynch Syndrome

Kathleen M. Schmeler, M.D., Henry T. Lynch, M.D., Lee-may Chen, M.D., Mark F. Munsell, M.S., Pamela T. Soliman, M.D., Mary Beth Clark, M.S.W., Molly S. Daniels, M.S., Kristin G. White, B.S., Stephanie G. Boyd-Rogers, R.N., Peggy G. Conrad, M.S., Kathleen Y. Yang, M.D., Mary M. Rubin, Ph.D., Charlotte C. Sun, Dr.P.H., Brian M. Slomovitz, M.D., David M. Gershenson, M.D., and Karen H. Lu, M.D.


ABSTRACT

Background Women with the Lynch syndrome (hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer) have a 40 to 60 percent lifetime risk of endometrial cancer and a 10 to 12 percent lifetime risk of ovarian cancer. The benefit of prophylactic gynecologic surgery for women with this syndrome has been uncertain. We designed this study to determine the reduction in the risk of gynecologic cancers associated with prophylactic hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy in women with the Lynch syndrome......