[Gardner syndrome: clinical and epidemiologic up to date]

In 1950 EJ Gardner first described a new syndrome characterized by (1) familial colonic polyposis, (2) multiple osteomas, (3) soft tissues cysts and (4) fibrous lesions. Thereafter, in 1975 Watne and coll. have demonstrated the occurence, in patients affected by Gardner syndrome, of the early onset of osteomas and dental inclusions in maxillary bones. Gardner syndrome is actually considered a severe life treathening condition due to the poor quality of life and the evolutive pattern of colonic polyps to colon cancer in 100% of cases. The aim of this paper is the review of the pathophysiologic and clinical aspects of Gardner syndrome, with report of institutional clinical data about epidemiology and clinical presentation of such condition, attempting to elaborate a clinical protocol for early detection of that.