Lynch Syndrome (LS) affects 1:250 individuals or about 1.2 million people in the United States (US), a number similar to the HIV infected population. People who have LS have a significantly increased risk of developing colorectal cancer. There is also an increased risk of developing other types of cancers, such as endometrial (uterine), stomach, ovarian, small bowel (intestinal), pancreatic, prostate, urinary tract, liver, kidney, and bile duct cancers. LS is caused by a mutation in one of five mismatch repair genes, MLH1, MSH2/EPCAM, MSH6, or PMS2. Family members of mutation carriers have up to a 50% chance of having LS themselves. Lifetime risk of different cancers in LS ranges between 10-80% depending on the gene impacted (high risk (MLH1 or MSH2/EPCAM) or low risk (MSH6, PMS2)) and age (</≥50 years). There are evidence-based guidelines that can decrease cancer incidence and mortality associated with LS, but are rarely practiced due to a lack of identification of LS patients or a lack of understanding of current guidelines. 

This activity is necessary as there are evidence-based guidelines and new chemoprevention strategies that can decrease cancer incidence and mortality associated with LS, but are rarely practiced due to a lack of identification of LS patients or a lack of understanding of current guidelines. There is a gap in identifying LS patients  prior to the development of cancer which would be due to a number of factors: 1) Lack of awareness of LS and its clinical relevance and management 2) Lack of understanding the family history of cancer 3) Lack of clinical tools or resources (genetic counseling testing) to help with the identification of LS patients.