Table of Contents
- Previvors
- Nobody is talking about Lynch Syndrome
- A brief history of Lynch Syndrome & the inheritance of cancer
- The inheritance of ovarian cancer: Understanding the impact of Lynch Syndrome & MMR Genes
BRCA changed everything since it first came into the picture a couple of decades back. Ranging from celebrities such as Angelina Jolie to regular women who have endeavoured to undergo regular screening tests for Cancer, the availability of screening tests for genetic Cancer susceptibility has fundamentally changed the way people approach Cancer risk in general. But how much of it is scientific, and how much is pure hype, remains to be seen.
Previvors
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Nobody is talking about Lynch Syndrome
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A brief history of Lynch Syndrome & the inheritance of cancer
Due to a significant lack of diagnostic infrastructure, Cancer registries and limited public knowledge about the syndrome, it is difficult (borderline impossible) to obtain an exact number of people carrying Lynch Syndrome genes. According to the Dana Farber Research Institute, an estimated 1 in 279 individuals – nearly a million people in the United States carry a mutation in at least one of five the different genes that can cause Lynch syndrome.
These five genes are MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2, and EPCAM. Mutations in these so-called “mismatch repair” genes impair the ability of cells to heal breaks in their DNA, making genetically damaged cells prone to abnormal growth and the development of cancer.
The inheritance of ovarian cancer: Understanding the impact of Lynch Syndrome & MMR Genes
According to an NCBI publication on “Hereditary Ovarian Cancer”, more than one-fifth of all Ovarian Cancers can be hereditary.
And while BRCA gene mutations account for 65-85% of these ‘hereditary’ transmissions, there are many other suppressor genes and oncogenes associated with the inheritance of Ovarian Cancer.
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It is important to understand the factors that can affect the chances of a post-surgical infection in a Cancer patient. These factors include, but are not limited to:
- Duration of a patient’s stay in the hospital
- Extent of surgery (Percentage of incision/penetration of organs during surgery)
- Length/duration of the surgical procedure
- Volume of blood lost during the surgery
- Nutritional status of the patient (pre-existing deficiencies, nutritional conditions, etc)
If a patient has previously received Cancer treatment such as Chemotherapy/Radiation, or has undergone treatment for serious medical conditions such as Diabetes/Coronary Heart Disease, doctors/surgeons usually prescribe antibiotics as a supplement to keep the Immune system robust and to help in preventing post-surgical infections.
Risk of infection after chemotherapy for cancer
The factors that determine the risk of infection after chemotherapy include:
- The stage and type of Cancer
- Nutritional status of the patient (pre-existing deficiencies, nutritional conditions, etc)
Some chemotherapy drugs are known to affect the Bone Marrow and Immune System more than others. Chemotherapy drugs are also known to impact the production of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets in the human body. In most cases, Immune Cells (WBCs) get affected the most. It can take several weeks/months for the immune system of a Cancer patient to recover fully after Chemotherapy.
Risk of infection after radiation therapy for cancer
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Nell’s story, just like the story of any Cancer patient, is unique. But Ovarian Cancer is a very real risk, one that threatens the lives of thousands of women in our country every year. As we get closer to International Women’s Day, we at Onco.com urge you to consider getting screened for the five genetic mutations that could position you as a Lynch Syndrome carrier.