Amsterdam criteria

The Amsterdam criteria are a set of guidelines used by doctors to identify families that may have a hereditary condition called Lynch syndrome, which increases the risk of certain cancers, especially colon cancer. To meet these criteria, there should be multiple family members across at least three generations with specific types of cancer, and at least one diagnosed before age 50. The criteria help healthcare providers decide when to recommend genetic testing and increased cancer screening to better manage and prevent these risks in affected families.