Early Onset and Hereditary GI Cancers Program

The Mayo Clinic Early Onset and Hereditary GI Cancers Program offers highly specialized care for people under age 55 diagnosed with colorectal cancer, appendiceal cancer, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, gastroesophageal cancer, gastric cancer or bile duct cancer.

Why contact the Early Onset and Hereditary GI Cancers Program?

The Early Onset and Hereditary GI Cancers Program is dedicated to the care of people diagnosed with gastrointestinal (GI) cancers before age 55, as well as people who have a hereditary or genetic syndrome that increases the risk of developing cancer. These syndromes include Lynch syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), MUTYH-associated polyposis (MAP), hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome from BRCA, and many others.

Gastrointestinal cancers are complex. People with these cancers need specialized, multidisciplinary care and coordination at diagnosis, during treatment and into survivorship. In particular, young people have distinct cancer biology and unique psychological and social needs. Our program coordinates any needed specialties to give our patients the best possible outcomes.

Our team of specialists meets on a regular basis to discuss the management of all patients with early-onset cancer at our weekly tumor board, to provide each patient with multidisciplinary management.

Focused support for younger patients

The program integrates a spectrum of services to support the needs of our patients.

• Patient navigators coordinate care across several medical and surgical disciplines, including:
  • Gastroenterology.
  • Medical oncology.
  • Colorectal surgery.
  • Surgical oncology.
  • Radiation oncology.
  • Palliative care.
  • Pain clinic.
  • Gynecologic oncology.
  • Cancer genetics and genetic counseling.
• Additional coordinated healthcare resources focus on younger patients, including:
  • GI radiology.
  • GI pathology.
  • Oncofertility evaluation and counseling.
  • Coordination of cancer screening procedures.
  • A spectrum of care for women in Women's Health.
  • Nutrition.
  • Wound ostomy care.
  • Social workers, including adolescent young adult social workers.
• Financial counseling and help navigating health insurance.
• Clinical trials.