Glossary Term:

Title

hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer (HNPCC)

Phonetic

huh-<b>RED</b>-ih-<b>ter</b>-ee <b>non</b>-pah-lih-<b>PO</b>-sis

Description

An inherited condition that greatly increases a person’s risk for developing colorectal cancer, as well as endometrial cancer (cancer of the lining of the uterus), ovarian cancer, stomach cancer, small bowel cancer, and cancer of the lining of the kidney or the ureters. People with this condition tend to develop cancer when they are young without first having many polyps. Also called Lynch syndrome.