[Familial forms of cancer of the urogenital tract: clinical and genetic features]

Prog Urol. 1996 Jun;6(3):343-55.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Familial forms of renal urinary tract and testicular cancers are rare (1 to 2%), in contrast with prostatic cancer (20%). Among these familial cancers, hereditary forms related to a genetic abnormality transmitted to the offspring are now better known and are of particular practical value for the clinician. Their diagnosis can modify the modalities of the patient's treatment in view of the multifocal nature of the tumours within the same organ and/or the frequent bilateral involvement of paired organs. The risk of transmission of the deleterious gene to the offspring requires information and close surveillance of relatives to allow early diagnosis and a better prognosis. When the predisposing gene is known, surveillance can be exclusively directed towards subjects possessing the deleterious gene in view of the increased cancer risk compared to the general population. This is the case for renal cancer in Von Lippel Lindau disease, and nephroblastoma and exceptional tumours of the urinary tract in Lynch syndrome. In the case of prostatic cancer, the most frequent familial cancer, in which hereditary forms represent 9% of cases, the predisposing gene has not been identified, which means that screening should be proposed to all male members of the family over the age of 40 years, due to the earlier age of development of these forms.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Kidney Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Kidney Neoplasms / genetics
  • Male
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / genetics
  • Testicular Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Testicular Neoplasms / genetics
  • Urogenital Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Urogenital Neoplasms / genetics*