DOMINANT INHERITANCE OF ADENOMATOUS COLONIC POLYPS AND COLORECTAL-CANCER

Abstract

To the Editor: While reading a description in the Denver Post1 of the right hemicolectomy performed on President Reagan for removal of a villous adenoma, I came across another story that reported that the President's older brother had recently undergone similar surgery for resection of colonic cancer.2 I found this to be especially interesting in the light of the article by Burt et al. and the editorial by Mulvihill in the June 13 issue of the Journal,3,4 suggesting an important role for heredity in the development of adenomatous polyps and colonic cancer. The findings reported by Burt et al. © 1985, Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved.