What is Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC)?
According to statistics, Hong Kong had more than 2,800 new cases of large bowel cancer in 1996 and about half of them will die of this disease. The large bowel includes the colon and the rectum. Sometimes, the term colorectal cancer is used if either area of the large bowel is affected. Unlike the small bowel which is responsible for the digestion of our food, the role of the colon is to remove fluid from the liquid waste remaining after digestion. The rectum is a holding area for stool, the final form of this waste. Researchers tell us that about 5 – 10% of all large bowel cancers are hereditary, that is, not only is there a family pattern but also an inherited predisposition for colorectal cancer in each generation. In the general population, it takes years for normal bowel cells to be damaged enough by diet or by other environmental influences to become a cancer affecting a 60 to 70 year old individual. However, the risk of developing a bowel cancer by age 40 to 50 years is much hig
