3. Hereditary Factors
Lynch syndrome runs in the family. It’s for this reason that doctors recommend that affected individuals should refrain from having children. LS affects families in what’s known as an “autosomal dominant inheritance pattern.” This pattern means that if either of the parents carries the gene responsible for LS, there’s a 50-percent chance that they will pass this gene onto their children.
The risk of developing LS is the same regardless of whether the mother or father has LS, and both girls and boys have an equal predisposition to developing the condition. If your family has a history with colorectal or ovarian cancer, your doctor may order further tests for the evaluation of Lynch syndrome.
As Lynch syndrome generally causes the onset of cancer in young people, individuals diagnosed with cancer at an early age are typically required to undergo further testing for LS. If your family history has more than one generation affected by a specific type of cancer, you may carry LS.