Year: 1996
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND & AIMS: Patients with hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal can cer (HNPCC) have been suggested to have a better prognosis than patients with common sporadic colorectal cancer. However, the evidence has not been convincing. The aim of this population-based study was to compare the survival rates of 175 patients with HNPCC with those of 14,000 patients with sporadic colorectal cancer diagnosed at <65 years of age in Finland from 1953 to 1993. METHODS: The recent progress in molecular genetics of hereditary colorectal cancer was utilized for the first time. One hundred twenty of the patients with HNPCC came from families segregating a germline mutation in the MLH1 cancer predisposition gene. RESULTS: The overall 5-year cumulative relative survival rate was 65% for patients with HNPCC and 44% for patients with sporadic colorectal cancer. The relative survival rates of patients with HNPCC were better in every strata analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: MLH1-associated colorectal cancer has a natural history different from that of common sporadic colorectal cancer. The better survival rates may be caused by the heavy mutation burden affecting mismatch repair deficient tumor cells.
Source: Gastroenterology
Authors: R Sankila, LA Aaltonen, HJ Jarvinen, JP Mecklin
Institution: Finnish Cancer Registry
Language: English
Subfield: Pathology and Forensic Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,180
OpenAlex ID: W1986604538