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.

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