If you have a family member with a history of colorectal cancer (cancer in the colon or rectum), you might wonder how — or if — that impacts your risk. And the answer is, yes, genetics can affect your risk of colorectal cancer, but it’s not the only risk factor.
While lifestyle choices like diet and exercise are important, inherited genetic factors can influence whether you’re more likely to develop this type of cancer.
Below, Noel R. Fajardo, MD, and Filippo Cremonini, MD, PhD, MSc, explain how genetics can impact your risk of colorectal cancer, what you can do to reduce your risks, and when you might consider scheduling a colonoscopy.
Your genetics can impact your risk of several different cancers, and colorectal cancer is no exception.
Genetic mutations can be passed down through your family, and unfortunately, certain mutations can significantly increase your risk of colorectal cancer.
Genetic mutations can contribute to conditions like Lynch syndrome and familial adenomatous polyposis — both of which can increase your risk of developing colorectal cancer.
Lynch syndrome is a genetic condition that increases your risk of developing several types of cancer, including colorectal, stomach, and pancreatic cancer.
If you have familial adenomatous polyposis, hundreds of noncancerous polyps develop in your colon. But they can turn malignant over time. Without treatment, familial adenomatous polyposis can increase your risk of colorectal cancer to almost 100%.
If these genetic conditions run in your family, your chances of developing colorectal cancer can be much higher than average, so you may need more frequent screenings and early intervention.
About one in three people who are diagnosed with colorectal cancer have a family member who’s also diagnosed. Genetic conditions aren’t the only reason that colorectal cancer runs in your family.
Your shared environmental factors can also come into play.
Risk factors for colorectal cancer include:
In many cases, families tend to eat the same (or at least similar) diets. This means that even if you don’t have genetic conditions (like Lynch syndrome), you may still be at risk of developing cancer due to other shared environmental and dietary risk factors.
Genetic testing can identify whether you carry mutations linked to colorectal cancer. If you test positive for certain markers, our team can recommend earlier or more frequent screenings, such as colonoscopies, and preventative measures like dietary changes or medication.
While you can’t change your genes, you can take steps to reduce your risk of developing colorectal cancer. You might consider:
If you have a high risk of developing colorectal cancer, our team may recommend that you schedule your colonoscopy at Las Vegas Gastroenterology sooner than age 45 — the current recommendation for low-risk individuals.
The good news is that regardless of your risk factors, colonoscopies can screen for precancerous and cancerous changes — even before you start to show any symptoms.
During your colonoscopy, we can inspect your colon and remove any polyps we find.
To schedule your colonoscopy or to find out when you might need one based on your family health history, call either of our Las Vegas, Nevada, locations or use our online scheduling system to get started.
