eMedicine Specialties > Gastroenterology > Systemic Disease

Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome: Treatment & Medication

Author: Sandeep Mukherjee, MB, BCh, MPH, FRCPC, Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Nebraska Medical Center; Consulting Staff, Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Veteran Affairs Medical Center
Coauthor(s): Andrea Duchini, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Associate Medical Director of Liver Transplantation, Division of Transplantation, Department of Surgery, The Methodist Hospital-Cornell University, Houston; John M Carethers, MD, Professor of Medicine, Chief, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of California at San Diego
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Apr 9, 2009

Treatment

Medical Care

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) should be promptly diagnosed in patients as early as possible. Genetic counseling should also be provided. Many of the gastrointestinal lesions will start developing early in life even if the syndrome is clinically apparent in the second and third decades of life. Proper screening for both intestinal cancers and extraintestinal cancers should be implemented.

  • Annual physical examination that includes evaluation of the breasts, abdomen, pelvis, and testes
  • Annual complete blood cell (CBC) count
  • Removal of hemorrhagic or large polyps (>5 mm) by endoscopic polypectomy
  • Some suggestions for surveillance for cancer include the following:
    • Small intestine with small bowel radiography every 2 years
    • EGD and colonoscopy every 2 years
    • Ultrasonography of the pancreas yearly
    • Ultrasonography of the pelvis (women) and testes (men) yearly
    • Mammography (women) at ages 25, 30, 35, and 38 years, then every 2 years until age 50 years, then annually
    • Papanicolaou (Pap) test every year

Surgical Care

Patients with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) usually undergo numerous surgeries during their lives. These surgeries include laparotomies and laparoscopies for both gastrointestinal problems and extraintestinal problems.

  • Push enteroscopy and interoperative enteroscopy with polypectomy are used to remove larger polyps and may defer the need for repeated small bowel resections.
  • Laparotomy and resection, as indicated, for small intestinal intussusception, obstruction, or persistent intestinal bleeding may be necessary.
  • Surgical treatment of extraintestinal cancers detected by surveillance and diagnosis is required.

Consultations

  • Follow-up care of patients with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) should be supervised by a gastroenterologist familiar with this condition.
  • Genetic consultation and counseling as well as urologic and gynecologic consultations are required in the management of these patients.

Activity

No activity restraints should be made for individuals with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS).

More on Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome

Overview: Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome
Treatment & Medication: Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome
Follow-up: Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome
Multimedia: Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome
References
Further Reading
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References

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Further Reading

Best Evidence

Clinical Trials

National Guidelines Clearinghouse



 

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Keywords

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, PJS, colon polyps, intestinal polyps, intestinal polyposis, hamartomatous intestinal polyposis, polyps-and-spots syndrome, perioral lentiginosis, hamartomatous polyps in association with mucocutaneous melanocytic macules, cancer of the GI tract, intestinal polyps, STK11 gene mutation, STK11/LKB1 gene mutation, serine/threonine kinase 11 gene, gastrointestinal polyps, GI polyps, hamartomas, intestinal lesions, intestinal cancer

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Sandeep Mukherjee, MB, BCh, MPH, FRCPC, Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Nebraska Medical Center; Consulting Staff, Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Veteran Affairs Medical Center
Sandeep Mukherjee, MB, BCh, MPH, FRCPC is a member of the following medical societies: Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Andrea Duchini, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Associate Medical Director of Liver Transplantation, Division of Transplantation, Department of Surgery, The Methodist Hospital-Cornell University, Houston
Andrea Duchini, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians, American Gastroenterological Association, American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, and International Liver Transplantation Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John M Carethers, MD, Professor of Medicine, Chief, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of California at San Diego
John M Carethers, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Association for Cancer Research, American College of Gastroenterology, American College of Physicians, and American Gastroenterological Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Robert J Fingerote, MD, MSc, BSc, FRCPC, Consultant, Clinical Evaluation Division, Biologic and Gene Therapies, Directorate Health Canada; Consulting Staff, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, York Central Hospital, Richmond Hill, Ontario
Robert J Fingerote, MD, MSc, BSc, FRCPC is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, American Gastroenterological Association, Canadian Medical Association, Ontario Medical Association, and Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Noel Williams, MD, Professor Emeritus, Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Noel Williams, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Alex J Mechaber, MD, FACP, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Alex J Mechaber, MD, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, and Society of General Internal Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Julian Katz, MD, Clinical Professor of Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Department of Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hospital of the Medical College of Pennsylvania
Julian Katz, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Gastroenterology, American College of Physicians, American Gastroenterological Association, American Geriatrics Society, American Medical Association, American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, American Society of Law Medicine and Ethics, American Trauma Society, Association of American Medical Colleges, and Physicians for Social Responsibility
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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