Contribution of the CHEK2 1100delC variant to risk of multiple colorectal adenoma and carcinoma

Aneuploidy is a characteristic of a subset of colorectal tumours. CHEK2 (also known as CHK2) is one of the cell cycle checkpoint genes coding for a family of proteins that sense damage in eukaryotic cells. Germline variation in CHEK2 has recently been shown to confer cancer susceptibility. Heterozygous mutations have been identified in patients with TP53-negative Li–Fraumeni syndrome. Furthermore, the CHEK2 1100delC variant carried by 1% of the population has been shown to act as a low penetrance allele for both breast and prostate cancers. To further our knowledge about the contribution of CHEK2 1100delC to cancer incidence we have analysed a series of 149 patients with multiple colorectal adenomas some of whom developed colorectal cancer. The CHEK2 1100delC allele was not over-represented in cases suggesting that this variant is not associated with an increased risk of colorectal disease.