Genetics: Hereditary colorectal cancer.
One in 16 Canadians will develop colorectal cancer (CRC). Increasing age is the main risk factor—fewer than 10% of CRC cases are hereditary. However, hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) can cause up to an 80% lifetime risk of CRC and substantially increases the risk of endometrial, ovarian, and stomach cancers.