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Women who have been treated for colon cancer or who have a first-degree relative have a high risk of developing gynecological cancers such as endometrial cancer and ovarian cancer.

Some colon cancer patients have ‘Lynch Syndrome’, and women with this syndrome are at increased risk of developing gynecological cancers such as endometrial and ovarian cancer.

Lynch syndrome is an inherited cancer syndrome that occurs when parents inherit mutations in genes (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS1, PMS2) that repair damage that occurs during replication DNA in it. Because it is an autosomal recessive inheritance, if one parent has a genetic mutation, there is a 50% chance of it being passed on to the child, and the risk of developing cancer increases compared to people with not Lynch syndrome.

Men with a genetic mutation associated with Lynch syndrome have a 60-80% risk of developing colon cancer, while women have a 40-60% risk. Women have a particularly high risk of developing endometrial cancer at 40-60% and ovarian cancer at 5-20%.

Park Byeong-kwan, professor of colorectal surgery at Chung-Ang University Hospital, said, “When a germline gene transfer test or immunohistochemistry (IHC) is performed on patients with colon cancer, it is found that 2 to 4% of them with Lynch syndrome. ” He said, “If there is a patient in the family with colon cancer, “If cancers associated with Lynch syndrome are found such as endometrial cancer, stomach cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, ureteral cancer, bile duct cancer, and brain tumor. , Lynch syndrome needs to be diagnosed,” he said.

Professor Park said, “Among people who have not been diagnosed with cancer, it is recommended that patients with Lynch syndrome receive a colonoscopy every 1 to 2 years because colon polyps are known to progress quickly to cancer.”

When cancer is diagnosed, genetic mutations can be screened using tissue immunoassays or next generation using cancer tissue or blood.

High-risk groups for suspected Lynch syndrome are those diagnosed with colon cancer under the age of 50, who have three or more colon cancer patients in the same household, or diagnosed with co- associated with Lynch syndrome. Lynch syndrome can be diagnosed through an immunohistochemical test using a cancer tissue and a microsatellite instability test (MSI), a detailed genetic test.

There are still no accurate research reports on how many genetic mutations associated with Lynch syndrome exist in Korean women.

According to a research paper published in an international academic journal in 2021 by a research team led by Professor Eunjoo Lee from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Chung-Ang University Hospital Cancer Center, 20 types of mutations were found in the genes associated with Lynch syndrome in 25 women with endometrial cancer.

In addition, according to a domestic case in which endometrial cancer was diagnosed 6 years after colon cancer in Lynch syndrome published by the Korean Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology, a 36-year-old woman was diagnosed with endometrial cancer and underwent underwent surgery 6 years later. undergoing surgery for colon cancer. As a result of genetic testing after developing colon cancer, this woman was found to have a genetic sequence mutation (MSH2) consistent with Lynch syndrome.

Daeik Kwon, medical expert Reporter >

Is olive oil really good for your health? Or is it just a sign of healthy eating habits? A study recently published in JAMA Network Open has started this debate. An observational study led by researchers at the Harvard TH School of Public Health examined two groups of US health professionals and found that daily consumption of olive oil was associated with a lower risk of death from dementia.

■ Truth

– This study found that people who ate more than half a spoonful of olive oil per day had a 28% lower risk of death from dementia compared to people who ate very little olive oil.

– Participants who consumed more olive oil had a lower risk of death from dementia, regardless of diet level or whether they adhered to a Mediterranean diet (including fruit fresh, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and moderate amounts of fish and poultry).

– Researchers found that replacing 1 teaspoon of margarine and mayonnaise with an equal amount of olive oil reduced the risk of death from dementia by 8 to 14 percent.

– The study followed two groups of more than 92,000 American male and female medical professionals over 28 years. About 65% of the participants were women, and 4,751 people died of dementia during the study period.

■ Background information

Olive oil consumption is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Olive oil is a major part of the Mediterranean diet. A study published in 2014 found that extra virgin olive oil, in particular, was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease in older adults.

The recently published study found that from 2022 on the same two groups, compared to people who ate very little olive oil, more olive oil was associated with about a 19% lower risk die of cardiovascular disease lost.

Olive oil also “appears to have a beneficial effect on cognitive decline” when used in the Mediterranean diet, said Marta Guasch-Perre, professor of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health and co-author two studies of the two populations Ferre said.

A randomized clinical trial conducted in Barcelona in 2015 also found that a Mediterranean diet containing olive oil could “prevent age-related cognitive decline” in older adults. “Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat and contains antioxidant compounds that protect the brain,” says Guache-Perret.

Anne-Julie Tessier, a nutrition researcher at Harvard’s TH Chan School of Public Health and senior author of the study, said olive oil “can cross the blood-brain barrier and benefit the brain directly . ” on heart health and indirectly supports the brain.

■ How to research

More than 92,000 participants in two groups answered questions about how often they ate different foods every four years over a 28-year period starting in 1990. Respondents recorded how often they using olive oil at home when making food such as salad dressing, bread, baking or frying.

Researchers reviewed the death certificates of participants who died during the study period to determine whether depression was the cause of death, and found that 4,751 participants died of depression, said Tessier.

What we don’t know

Although observational studies have found an association between olive oil consumption and a relatively lower risk of death from dementia, researchers have not found a causal relationship.

“Interventional studies are needed to determine causal relationships and optimal olive oil intake,” explained Guache-Perret, adding that future studies could try to examine the mechanisms by which olive oil consumption reducing the risk of death from dementia. The study also looked at the diet of health professionals, so the results may not generalize to a wider and more diverse population.

In addition, the researchers were not able to distinguish between different types of olive oil, such as virgin or extra virgin, which contained more antioxidants, said Guache-Perret.

■ Other expert opinions

David Knobman, professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, said this was a very good observational study, but noted that people who eat more olive oil may be more health conscious.

“This limitation is one of the real problems in interpreting dietary data,” said Knobman, who added that the results are “consistent with our preconceived notions of what should be in healthy diet.” There are many lifestyle factors that affect cardiovascular health and mental health, including exercise, diet, sleep, and smoking, and these factors are interrelated.

“The only way to prove the cause of a therapeutic intervention is through a randomized clinical trial,” said Knobman, who said he was “highly skeptical” that a single nutrient is the key to better health.

Vasilis Vasiliou, professor and chair of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at the Yale School of Public Health, said the Harvard study was “carefully done” and did not explain why the oil might have cardiovascular or cognitive health benefits. olive or other parts of the plant. He said major efforts were underway to “find the mechanism.”

“We don’t think it’s one or two compounds. “Olive oil contains phenolic antioxidants, which are very important in protecting against oxidative stress,” explained Vasiliou, “but there are many others,” he admits.

■ What we can do

Guache-Perret said choosing olive oil over processed fats such as margarine or mayonnaise is a safe choice and may reduce the risk of fatal dementia. Tessie also said that if you can afford it, it’s a good idea to choose vegetable oil, especially olive oil or extra virgin olive oil.

“Extra virgin olive oil is actually higher in polyphenols,” she says, “components that are beneficial for brain health than processed fats.”

Vasiliou said he drinks two tablespoons of olive oil, which is high in polyphenols, every morning and cooks with olive oil every day “You can laugh, but sometimes I even sprinkling olive oil on top of ice cream. ”

By Teddy Amenabar>