Familial risk of colon and rectal cancer in Iceland: evidence for different etiologic factors?

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field The aim of this study was to characterize the familial risk of colon and rectal cancer using 2 population-based registries in Iceland, the Icelandic Cancer Registry and a genealogy database...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International Journal of Cancer
Main Authors: Stefansson, Tryggvi, Moller, Pall H, Sigurdsson, Fridbjorn, Steingrimsson, Eirikur, Eldon, Bjarki Jonsson
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2006
Subjects:
Aged
80 and over
Colonic Neoplasms
Family
Female
Humans
Iceland/epidemiology
Incidence
Male
Rectal Neoplasms
Registries
Risk Assessment
Risk Factors
Sex Factors
Iceland
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/2336/6169
https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.21835
Description
Summary:To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field The aim of this study was to characterize the familial risk of colon and rectal cancer using 2 population-based registries in Iceland, the Icelandic Cancer Registry and a genealogy database. The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) was used to estimate the risk among relatives of colorectal cancer index cases diagnosed in Iceland over a 46-year period (1955-2000). The 2,770 colorectal cancer patients had 23,272 first-degree relatives. Among first-degree relatives, there was an increased risk of both colon (SIR 1.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.34-1.62) and rectal cancer (SIR 1.24, 95% CI 1.04-1.47). An increased risk of colon cancer was observed among siblings of colon cancer patients (SIR 2.03, 95% CI 1.76-2.33), whereas no such increase was observed for parents or offspring. Furthermore, the risk of rectal cancer was only increased among brothers (SIR 2.46 95% CI 1.46-3.89) of rectal cancer patients and not among their sisters (SIR 1.0 95% CI 0.40-2.06). The added risk of colon cancer among first-degree relatives was independent of site of colon cancer in the proband. Our results confirm that family history of colorectal cancer is a risk factor for the disease. However, family history has a different association with colon cancer than with rectal cancer, suggesting that the 2 cancer types may have different etiologic factors. Our results have implications for colon and rectal cancer screening programs.

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