Colorectal Screening

This year over 55,000 men and women in the U.S. will die from colon cancer. And many could have been saved. When colon cancer is detected early, there is a 90% survival rate. When it's not, that number is less than 50%. Starting at age 50, you should have a colonoscopy at least once every ten years to screen for polyps and cancer. Colon cancer can be beaten. Prevention and early detection are your best weapons.

The Colorectal Program at Massachusetts General Hospital offers the most advanced colon cancer screenings and treatments available. Our world-renowned specialists can provide the comprehensive care and peace of mind you'll only find at one of the world's leading hospitals.

Talk to your doctor about scheduling your colorectal cancer screening at Massachusetts General Hospital Digestive HealthCare Center. Then call (617) 726-2426.

Please visit our Staff page for a list of our gastroenterologists.

Within Partners, you can utilize MGH Appointment Request Online system to request an appointment (internal link only).

High-Risk Cancer Genetics Program

The following factors can increase your risk of cancer:

• Personal or family history of colon polyps or cancer
• Recognized inherited forms of colon cancer:
  • Familial Adenomatous Polyposis(Gardner's Syndrome)
  • MYH-Associated Polyposis
  • Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC) syndrome(Lynch Syndrome)
  • Hamartomatous Polyposis syndromes such as Peutz-Jeghers, Juvenile Polyposis
• Personal or family history of endometrial cancer or ovarian cancer(which can be associated with colon cancer)
• Family history of gastric cancer
• Family history of pancreatic cancer

This center evaluates individuals with a strong family history of gastrointestinal cancer, especially colon cancer. Our goal is to serve not only patients, but also their families and referring physicians with up-to-date recommendations surrounding the complicated issues of clinical screening and genetic testing.

We encourage referrals of patients, their affected family members, and also those at-risk in their families. Recommendations will be made for clinical screening and surveillance, and when appropriate, genetic testing will be offered.

Finally we have clinical research trials in many of these areas that are available.

For more information, please contact us.

Phone: (617) 724-1971
Fax: (617) 726-9418

Staff:

• Daniel Chung, MD
  Director, GI Cancer Genetics Program
• Eunice Kwak, M.D., Ph.D.



• Genetic Counselors:
• Kristen M. Shannon, M.S.
• Devanshi Patel, M.S.
• Gayun Chan-Smutko, M.S.