Chemoprevention of Endometrial Cancer in Lynch Syndrome : A Step Forward
Cet article fait le point sur les avancées récentes concernant la chimioprévention du cancer de l'endomètre chez les patientes atteintes d'un syndrome de Lynch
Lynch Syndrome (LS) is one of the most common hereditary cancer syndromes. Although LS is associated with increased risk for developing colorectal, endometrial and other cancers, specialized screening, risk-reducing surgery, and chemoprevention offer promise for reducing morbidity and mortality. Frequent colonoscopic surveillance has proven effective for early detection and prevention of LS-associated colorectal cancer (CRC); however, the optimal strategy for managing endometrial cancer risks in women with germline mutations in DNA mismatch repair genes has yet to be determined. In this issue of the journal, Lu et al. report their findings of a Phase II prospective, multicenter randomized trial comparing the effects of oral contraceptive pills and Depo-Provera on endometrial proliferation in women with LS. Although short-term hormonal treatment with either modality altered endometrial proliferation indices, it remains unknown whether hormonal suppression actually reduces endometrial cancer risk in women with LS. This trial represents the first of its kind in evaluating agents which might offer protection against LS-associated endometrial cancer and provides preliminary data regarding potential biomarkers for early detection of endometrial neoplasia. However, the investigators' experience with this trial also offers insights regarding the various technical and scientific challenges inherent in chemoprevention research.