Middle East Network on Hereditary Colorectal Cancer (HCCN-ME)
In view of the increasing incidence of CRC in the Middle East and the substantial number of early onset CRC cases, more attention should be paid to prevention. In light of often limited financial resources, focused screening of individuals with hereditary CRC, in particular those with Lynch syndrome, appears to be the most cost-effective strategy.
During recent meetings of the Palestinian Society of Gastroenterology and the Mediterranean Task Force for Cancer Control (MTCC) in Jericho, and the Patient’s Friends Society of Jerusalem in Hebron on April 7 and 8, 2017, the issue of hereditary CRC in the Middle East was discussed and the idea was conceived to establish a Middle East Network on Hereditary Colorectal Cancer. The main goal of this new Network is to improve care for these high-risk groups in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean and North African Countries.
Our activities will include:
(1) an inventory of current care in the countries concerned,
(2) development of guidelines for diagnosis and management,
(3) development of patient information pamphlets,
(4) identification of referral centers for genetic counseling, MSI analysis and DNA analysis in the various countries/regions,
(5) establishing registries to guarantee lifetime surveillance,
(6) development of a website.
News
2018 – HCCN-website
We are very happy that the first version of the HCCN-website has now been launched. The main goal of the website is to provide information on hereditary colorectal cancer for medical professionionals as well as for patients in the Middle East and North African Countries.
..… read more……
May 2020 – Substantial progress in research on hereditary colorectal cancer (Lynch syndrome, polyposis, and other syndromes) in Iran and Palestine
Two research projects have recently been started by members of the network. One project in Iran entitled “Clinical and Genetic Assessment of Hereditary Colorectal Cancer Syndromes in Iran” started in 2018, financially supported by the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMAD).
……read more….
Get involved
Individuals and organizations in Middle East countries and other Eastern Mediteranean countries interested in participating in this network are invited to contact the Secretariat of the network: Dutch Hereditary Colorectal Cancer Registry; Leiden, The Netherlands.