Colorectal Cancer Genetics Clinic

The Colorectal Cancer Genetics Clinic provides colorectal cancer screening, chemoprevention, and genetic risk evaluation for individuals who have a GI tumor or polyps, and a personal and/or family history that is suggestive of an inherited cancer predisposition.

Genetic counseling is also available for individuals who have never had a GI tumor, but have a significant family history of cancer. Families with a genetic mutation associated with any of the following hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes may also be evaluated: 

• Lynch syndrome, also known as Hereditary Non-polyposis Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC)
• Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP)
• MYH-associated Polyposis
• Hereditary diffuse gastric cancer
• Peutz-Jeghers syndrome
• Juvenile Polyposis syndrome

Read more about genetic testing and counseling.

Clinic Staff

Our team of specially trained genetic counselors and physicians provide hereditary cancer risk assessment, genetic counseling and genetic testing, individualized cancer screening and prevention programs.

• Patrick Lynch, M.D, J.D.: Gastroenterologist
• Miguel Rodriguez-Bigas, M.D., FACS: Colorectal surgeon
• Eduardo Vilar-Sanchez, M.D., Ph.D.: Gastrointestinal medical oncologist
• Nancy You, M.D., MHSc, FACS: Colorectal surgeon
• Selvi Thirumurthi M.D., MS, FASGE, FACG: Gastroenterologist
  
• Julie Moskowitz, MS, CGC: Genetic counselor
• Maureen Mork, MS, CGC: Genetics counselor
  

Genetic risk assessment is recommended for individuals with the following histories:

Colorectal cancer diagnosed before the age of 50. 

Colorectal cancer diagnosed at any age, AND personal history of any of the following:

• Previous colon cancer history
• Endometrial cancer
• Sebaceous neoplasias
• Gastric, pancreas, ureter and renal pelvis, biliary tract, brain, or small intestinal cancers 

Gastrointestinal polyps: 

• Multiple (more than 15) adenomas, on a single colonoscopy
• Hamartomatous polyps, any number, occurring at any age 

Gastric adenocarcinoma diagnosed before the age of 45 

Gastric adenocarcinoma diagnosed at any age, AND any of the following:

• Personal history of lobular breast cancer
• Family history of gastric adenocarcinoma and/or lobular breast cancer

Pancreas carcinoma at any age, AND personal/family history of one or more of the following:

• Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry
• Breast cancer diagnosed before the age of 50
• Chronic non-alcoholic pancreatitis
• Colorectal cancer diagnosed before the age of 50
• Melanoma diagnosed before the age of 40
• Ovarian cancer  

Family history of a known mutation for a cancer predisposition syndrome.

Genetic risk assessment may be considered for individuals with the following histories:

Colorectal cancer diagnosed before the age of 60 AND personal/family history of any of the following: 

• Colorectal cancer
• Endometrial cancer
• Sebaceous neoplasias

Gastric, pancreas, ureter and renal pelvis, biliary tract, brain, or small intestinal cancers.

Clinic Information

Location: Main Building, 7th floor, near Elevator A | Get Directions
Phone: 
713-745-7391 or 877-641-0979 (Current patients)
877-632-6789 (New patients)

Appointments & Referrals

• Patients, complete an online self-referral form to request an appointment
• Physicians, complete the online physician referral form through myMDAnderson.