[Utility of diagnostic scales for hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer in the Mexican population].

Introduction: Hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) represents 2 - 7% of all cancers. Diagnosis is made by means of the Amstedam criteria, or the modified Amsterdam and Bethesda.

Objective: Aim was to evaluate the clinical application of the diagnostic scales for HNPCC in our population and to determine the clinical characteristics that these patients reveal at the time of diagnosis.

Method: A retrospective, cross-sectional study in which patients with colon cancer and less than 50 years of age were evaluated in a period of 3 years. The demographic data, patients and relatives history and the characteristics of the tumor were obtained at the time of diagnosis. We applied the Amsterdam criteria, modified Amsterdam and Bethesda to all the patients.

Results: 56 of 210 patients were of 50 younger with an average age of 38.3 years. Among the patients 14.3% had familiar cancer history. In 53.6% the tumor was located in right colon, regardless histology they had mucin component and poor cellular differentiation. Only two patients fulfilled criteria of modified Amsterdam and Amsterdam, and no patient fulfilled the Bethesda criteria.

Conclusions: Frequency of CCNPH in our population was 1% by the Amsterdam criteria and modified Amsterdam and 0% by the Bethesda criteria.