Association of Family History With Cancer Recurrence and Survival Among Patients With Stage III Colon Cancer

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Abstract
Approximately 16% to 20% of patients with colorectal cancer have a first-degree relative with colorectal cancer.1 Beyond rare but highly penetrant hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes, numerous studies have demonstrated that a history of colorectal cancer in a first-degree relative increases the risk of developing the disease by approximately 2-fold.2-5 However, the influence of family history on cancer recurrence and survival among patients with established colon cancer remains uncertain. A study of the Utah Population Database and Cancer Registry observed that family history of colon cancer had little impact on colon cancer patient survival6; in contrast, an analysis of a Japanese tumor registry demonstrated an improved prognosis.7 Interpretation of these conflicting data is limited by a lack of detailed information regarding tumor stage and treatment in either of these studies.