MUTYH, MAP, and Colorectal Cancer

At just 35 years of age, Stacey Wilson was diagnosed with Stage III Colorectal Cancer. Nine months later, with surgery and chemotherapy behind her, Stacey met with a genetic counselor, had hereditary cancer testing done, and received an explanation for why she was diagnosed with colorectal cancer at such a young age, and with no family history of colorectal cancer: She had a genetic diagnosis of MAP (MUTYH-Associated Polyposis), an autosomal recessive hereditary cancer syndrome caused by mutations in both copies of the MUTYH gene. Stacey is passionate about raising awareness for Colorectal Cancer, the possibility of preventing colorectal cancer in many cases through screening colonoscopies, and the benefits of genetic testing for those diagnosed at a young age or with a significant family history of colorectal cancer. She also shares why she has mixed feelings about 23andMe's MUTYH testing and direct-to-consumer genetic testing in general.