Familial adenomatous polyposis as a precancerosis of colon cancer.

Familial adenomatous polyposis is a genetic disorder caused by mutations of the adenomatous polyposis coli gene. This gene is localized on chromosome 5q21. The incidence of the disease is 1/7000-8000. Surgery has an important role in the management of familial adenomatous polyposis. In the absence of prophylactic colectomy, death from colom cancer will occur in virtually all of familial adenomatous polyposiscases by age 50, with 37% affected by colon cancer by age 37. (Ref. 8).