Treatment of Hereditary digestive cancer at Clínic

Since 2006, the Gastroenterology Department has had a facility known as the High Risk Digestive Cancer Clinic, aimed at providing comprehensive, specialised care to people at a high risk of developing digestive cancer.  

This multidisciplinary facility brings together professionals involved in treating this clinical situation (gastroenterology, nursing, primary care, genetic counselling, pathological anatomy, digestive endoscopy, molecular genetics, medical psychology, gastrointestinal surgery, medical oncology and radiodiagnostics).    

The High Risk Digestive Cancer Clinic is a leader in Spain, as it provides continuous, coordinated care in suspicion, diagnosis, follow-up and treatment of people at high risk of cancer, such as hereditary and familial forms of digestive cancer. This is made possible by using multigene panels at the Biomedical Diagnostic Centre, and by performing digestive endoscopies.  

In the case of Lynch syndrome, Hospital Clínic systematically performs molecular studies for the MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 and PMS2 genes in all patients with colorectal and endometrial cancer who receive treatment at our centre.  

Currently, over 500 families with a hereditary predisposition to digestive cancer (Lynch syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis, MUTYH-associated polyposis, serrated polyposis syndrome, gastric and pancreatic cancer) are being monitored.  

The team of professionals at the High Risk Digestive Cancer Clinic conducts research projects related to improving the process of identifying and following-up patients at high risk of digestive cancer. New endoscopic techniques using state-of-the-art equipment are being studied, as are new preventative strategies, such as vaccines for Lynch syndrome.  

Finally, we work with associations for families with hereditary cancer, mainly AFALYNCH (Association of Families Affected by Lynch Syndrome) to improve knowledge, awareness and care.