What is (are) Familial stomach cancer ?
Familial stomach cancer is a cluster of stomach cancer within a family. Most cases of stomach cancer occur sporadically in people with little to no family history of the condition; however, approximately 10% of stomach cancer is considered "familial." Although the underlying cause of some familial cases is unknown, genetic changes (mutations) are identified in a subset of people affected by gastric cancer. Hereditary cancer syndromes associated with a predisposition to gastric cancer include hereditary diffuse gastric cancer, Lynch syndrome, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis, and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome. In other families, the cluster of stomach cancers may be due to a combination of gene(s) and/or other shared factors such as environment and lifestyle. Depending on the estimated risk, high-risk cancer screening and/or prophylactic surgeries are typically recommended in people who have an increased risk for stomach cancer based on their personal and/or family histories.