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Volume 331:1669-1674 December 22, 1994 Number 25 Next

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ABSTRACT

Background A family history of colorectal cancer is recognized as a risk factor for the disease. However, as a result of the retrospective design of prior studies, the strength of this association is uncertain, particularly as it is influenced by characteristics of the person at risk and the affected family members.

Methods We conducted a prospective study of 32,085 men and 87,031 women who had not previously been examined by colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy and who provided data on first-degree relatives with colorectal cancer, diet, and other risk factors for the disease. During the follow-up period, colorectal cancer was diagnosed in 148 men and 315 women.

Results The age-adjusted relative risk of colorectal cancer for men and women with affected first-degree relatives, as compared with those without a family history of the disease, was 1.72 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.34 to 2.19). The relative risk among study participants with two or more affected first-degree relatives was 2.75 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.34 to 5.63). For participants under the age of 45 years who had one or more affected first-degree relatives, the relative risk was 5.37 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.98 to 14.6), and the risk decreased with increasing age (P for trend, <0.001).

Conclusions A family history of colorectal cancer is associated with an increased risk of the disease, especially among younger people.

Source Information

From Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School (C.S.F., E.L.G., G.A.C., D.J.H., F.E.S., W.C.W.); the Division of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (C.S.F.); and the Departments of Epidemiology (G.A.C., D.J.H., F.E.S., W.C.W.), Environmental Health (F.E.S.), and Nutrition (W.C.W.), Harvard School of Public Health -- all in Boston.

Address reprint requests to Dr. Fuchs at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 44 Binney St., Boston, MA 02115.

Full Text of this Article

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Family History and Colorectal Cancer
Narod S. A., Ginsburg O., Jothy S., Selby J. V., Fuchs C. S., Willett W. C.
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N Engl J Med 1995; 332:1578-1579, Jun 8, 1995. Correspondence

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