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Genetics of Colorectal Cancer (PDQ®)

  • Updated: 02/28/2013

Table 2. Major Genes Associated with Risk of Colorectal Cancer

Gene  Syndrome  Hereditary Pattern  Predominant Cancer  
Tumor suppressor genes
APC (OMIM)FAP (OMIM)DominantColon, intestine, etc.
AXIN2 (OMIM)Attenuated polyposis (OMIM)DominantColon
TP53 (p53) (OMIM)Li-Fraumeni (OMIM)DominantMultiple (including colon)
STK11 (OMIM)Peutz-Jeghers (OMIM)DominantMultiple (including intestine)
PTEN (OMIM)Cowden (OMIM)DominantMultiple (including intestine)
BMPR1A (OMIM)Juvenile polyposis (OMIM)DominantGastrointestinal
SMAD4 (DPC4) (OMIM)Juvenile polyposis (OMIM)DominantGastrointestinal
Repair/stability genes
MLH1 (OMIM), MSH2 (OMIM), MSH6 (OMIM), PMS2 (OMIM)Lynch (OMIM)DominantMultiple (including colon, uterus, and others)
EPCAM (TACSTD1) (OMIM)Lynch (OMIM)DominantMultiple (including colon, uterus, and others)
MYH (MUTYH) (OMIM)Attenuated polyposis (OMIM)RecessiveColon
BLM (OMIM)Bloom (OMIM)RecessiveMultiple (including colon)
Oncogenes
KIT (OMIM)Familial GI stromal tumor (OMIM)GI stromal tumors
PDGFRA (OMIM)Familial GI stromal tumor (OMIM)GI stromal tumors

FAP = familial adenomatous polyposis; GI = gastrointestinal; OMIM = Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man database.
Adapted from Vogelstein et al.[2]

References

  1. Vogelstein B, Kinzler KW: Cancer genes and the pathways they control. Nat Med 10 (8): 789-99, 2004.  [PUBMED Abstract]