St Mark's Centre for Familial Intestinal Cancer

Our team at the St Mark's Centre for Familial Intestinal Cancer is here to support you and your family if you're at higher risk of bowel or related cancers because of Lynch syndrome and the polyposis syndromes. We also offer regular colonoscopy checks for families with a strong history of these cancers, even when no genetic change has been found.

Location: St Mark's at Central Middlesex Hospital
Division: Surgery and St Mark's Hospital
General manager: Rachel Cox

Contact the St Mark's Centre for Familial Intestinal Cancer

About our centre

We support patients and their families to provide life-long multidisciplinary care. We focus on early diagnosis and prevention of cancer. We maintain a clinical database to help us:

  • provide ongoing endoscopic surveillance
  • offer preventative surgery in selected cases
  • support research.

We also provide regular education for patients, families, and healthcare professionals. 

Our service includes:

  • genetic counselling and testing
  • preventive surgery
  • endoscopic management
  • life-long care from a team of experts

Another key part of our work is cascade testing, where we contact family members who may be at risk. We offer a predictive genetic test when a known familial genetic change exists, or endoscopic surveillance.

Conditions cared for by the centre

We look after you if you have, or are at risk of having:

NHS Bowel Screening Programme for people with Lynch Syndrome

If you have a confirmed genetic diagnosis of Lynch Syndrome you can attend for a colonoscopy every two years. This service is provided by the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Service.

The Helping you decide leaflet, produced by the programme can can help you choose what is right for you. 

You may have a colonoscopy at a centre close to where you live. You can ask the screening service to transfer you to St Mark's Hospital if that is your preference. 

Referrals to the St Mark's Centre for Familial Intestinal Cancer

Our main source of referrals are from GPs and consultants both at LNWH and at other trusts. We will accept referrals from any healthcare professional if they have a concern about one of their patients.

Referrals should be sent to email lnwh-tr.SMCFIC@nhs.net

The referral should include any relevant information such as:

  • genetic reports
  • surgical details
  • endoscopy reports
  • histopathology reports

Referrals based on family history will need to follow the BSG criteria for high-risk family. 

Hereditary gastrointestinal polyposis syndromes network

The polyposis syndromes network was set up by us. It is part of the national Rare Disease Collaborative Network (RDCN). We work with centres that have strong clinical and research skills in rare and very rare conditions. The aim is to: 

  • improve patient care by agreeing shared standards
  • work together
  • provide consistent, evidence based treatment.

The network supports people with conditions such as:

  • Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)
  • MUTYH associated polyposis
  • Polymerase proofreading associated polyposis
  • Peutz Jeghers syndrome
  • Juvenile polyposis syndrome
  • Other very rare inherited polyposis syndromes

The RDCN outlines key principles for the lifelong care of patients and families. These include:

  • Personalised decisions about surgery
  • Tailored endoscopic screening and follow up
  • Long term monitoring for symptoms outside the gut
  • Genetic testing for family members (cascade testing)
  • Support with family planning and genetic diagnosis

Serrated polyposis syndrome (SPS)

SPS is not part of the polyposis syndromes network as it is not known as a rare disease. For patients this is local care guided by the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) guidelines on colonoscopic surveillance. 

We do accept SPS referrals for:

  • Patients who live within our local area
  • Complex cases referred by their local hospital
  • One off consultations for diagnosis or specialist advice