Rees Skillern Cancer Institute at CHI Memorial has achieved full membership to the Lynch Syndrome Screening Network which promotes universal tumor screening for everyone with newly diagnosed colorectal and endometrial cancers.
"Lynch Syndrome is an inherited disorder that increases the risk for colorectal, endometrial, and many other types of cancer. The network recommends the screening because these individuals are at high risk for second primary cancers, their relatives are at risk and could benefit from genetic testing, and the screening tests are cost-effective.
Those with newly diagnosed colorectal and endometrial cancers will go through screening before being referred to high risk genetic counseling. First-degree relatives of individuals identified with a Lynch Syndrome gene mutation have a 50 percent chance of having the same gene mutation," officials said.
“Since Lynch syndrome is the most common hereditary cause of colorectal and endometrial cancer, knowing who is at-risk can help us screen and detect cancer earlier and possibly even prevent it,” said Catherine Marcum, DPN, APN, AGACNP-BC, advanced practice nurse with training in clinical cancer genetics through the City of Hope.
The Rees Skillern Cancer Institute met all criteria for full member status including currently performing routine tumor testing on those newly diagnosed with colorectal and endometrial cancers and having a genetics expert. Network members are connected with other institutions across the country committed to performing UTS, and join in collaborative efforts to create and share educational resources, screening protocols and data.
Identifying patients with Lynch Syndrome is an objective of the federal Healthy People 2020 program. The Evaluation of Genomic Applications in Practice and Prevention Working Group, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, and the National Society of Genetic Counselors, and Collaborative Group of the Americas on Inherited Colorectal Cancer also recommend testing.