Recognizing and Treating Rare Polyposis Syndromes – a Webinar from the Hereditary Colon Cancer Foundation
Dear Colleague:
I frequently get queries from gastroenterologists who encounter patients with strong personal or family histories of colorectal or extra-colonic cancer or polyps. Not uncommonly, the patients have both the typical and lesser well known features suggestive of a hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome which would warrant genetic counseling and testing if specific phenotypic criteria are met. The prevalence of some of these syndromes like FAP can be more common 1:10,000 and others like Cowden’s Syndrome, rare, 1:180,000. Affording the diagnosis to the patient, summarizing the other health risks attributable to the syndrome and being proactive in a management plan can be rewarding both for the provider and the patient and their family.
If you have an interest in increasing your expertise in the recognition and management of the hereditary colon cance syndromes, I would encourage you to consider registering for an 8-part webinar series for medical professionals, “Recognizing and Treating Rare Polyposis Syndromes.” The faculty are international experts on the topics. I am familiar with the quality of the educational offerings and I currently serve on the Board of the organizing agency, the Hereditary Colon Cancer Foundation which is a non-profit and a valuable resource for the education of providers and patients with these syndromes.
Each month between March and October 2016 the Foundation will tackle a new topic including GI pathology, juvenile polyposis, Peutz-Jehger’s, serrated polyposis and PTEN-related conditions.
Throughout my career I’ve been interested in inherited colon cancer syndromes and the prevention of colorectal neoplasia. My goal in sharing this webinar series is to increase attention to best practices among my ACG colleagues who might encounter patients with rare forms of polyposis.
You can participate live or view the webinars on-demand. There is a small fee to register.
It’s fitting that the first webinar will be during March Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month on Thursday, March 3, 2016 at 1:00 pm EST.
You can learn more about the series at www.hcctakesguts.org
Best regards,
Carol A. Burke, MD, FACG, ACG President-Elect