Definition

A rare, inherited disorder that increases the risk of developing a type of stomach cancer called diffuse gastric cancer. This cancer grows in the lining of the stomach, which causes the lining to become thick and hard. The cancer is also likely to spread to other parts of the body, such as the liver or bone. Women with hereditary diffuse gastric cancer also have an increased risk of developing a type of breast cancer that begins in the lobules (milk glands) of the breast. Hereditary diffuse gastric cancer is usually caused by mutations (changes) in the CDH1 gene that are inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. It is a type hereditary cancer syndrome. Also called familial diffuse gastric cancer and HDGC.