Lynch Syndrome International will be at the ASCO Annual Meeting 13, in Chicago, Illinois on May lst through 4th.

We'll be located in Booth 6039, across the Novartis!  Patient materials will be available and lots of up to date information on Lynch syndrome.  So, drop by and sit a spell with us!  We look forward to meeting you!

Dr. Hans Vasen and the Mallorca Group of European experts have issued revised guidelines, including MMR testing of colorectal and endometrial cancers should be utilized for those up to age 70.  A must read....  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3647358/

Lynch Syndrome International is excited to introduce some committed, amazing and passionate people to our Board of Directors for the 2013-2014 fiscal year.  This last weekend was filled with high energy, positive solutions and a good direction in continuing forward toward of future of protecting our families and saving lives.  Meet our new Board of Directors:

Linda Bruzzone – President/Executive Director  Operations/Fundraising

Barbara Fabiani – Vice President Secretary   Operations/Fundraising

Dave Wortman – Treasurer     Financial Oversight

Directors:

Susan Olson – Brentwood, California/Survivor  Young Previvors and Survivors Liaison

Beth Fairbank – Brisbane, Australia /Previvor    Australia Liaison

Todd Neil – Winnepeg, Canada /Previvor   Canada Liaison

Wolfram Nolte- Germany /Survivor    European and Germany Liaison

Judith Ruggiero –  Vacaville, California /Previvor   Public Policy Liaison

John Nelson – Las Vegas, Nevada/Survivor  American Tribal Liaison

Michelle Miller, LCSW – Denver, Colorado /Survivor

Bill Harb, MD – Nashville, Tennessee / Medical Provider  (Liaison With Medical and Research Organizations)

Cristi Radford – Sarasota, Florida/Genetic Counselor (Chairs Medical Professional and Patient Education

David Wakefield – Internet Web Developer and Social Media Consultant

Meg Davis – Endurance Coordinator

This week, 10,000 West Contra Costa County families will be receiving postcards in their mail, alerting them to Lynch syndrome and hereditary cancers. 

Sponsored through the compassion and generosity of the Soroptomists International - Richmond, California chapter, this campaign is a follow-up to an LED billboard campaign in which over 7,000,000 persons were reached during a two week period during Lynch Syndrome Hereditary Cancer Public Awareness Day on March 22, 2013.

It is projected one in every 370 persons in the U.S. are affected by Lynch syndrome.  Hopefully hundreds of persons, affected by Lynch syndrome will be identified by these public awareness campaigns.

Great things are happening with Lynch syndrome, at least in the Sacramento River Valley of California.  At the Undy500 Race, sponsored by the Colon Cancer Alliance, in March, LSI had a team which not only ran, but also worked with outreach efforts to others who were survivors of colorectal cancers and who, potentially, may have Lynch syndrome.

In 2009, there was very few upon the internet who could be found with Lynch syndrome. There were no advocacy organizations, no dedicated websites, no detailed web pages.  There were 89,800 research articles which were listed for Lynch syndrome, however most were behind locked internet walls and requiring $30 per article to access and read.  No wonder few physicians had ever heard of Lynch syndrome.  No wonder families were closeted.

The first few years were difficult, at best. As Lynch syndrome came out of the closet, and questions were asked, controversy occurred.  Controversy is good.  It opens the doors to communication and can often knock down walls...finally, it allowed for the voice of the patient and the voice of advocacy, which is often not understood by the medical community.

The first few years, while exhibiting at medical conferences were dismal and often demoralizing.  Very few physicians had ever heard of Lynch syndrome.  As time has elapsed, over the past four years, at one conference of Internists, almost every single one had a good understanding of it and how to test for it.  The Osteopathic physicians had embraced it and over fifty percent contacted understood Lynch syndrome and how to diagnose it.  The General Practitioners, urologists and gynecologists didn't have a clue and many nurses had never heard of it and many still don't...

But something exciting occurred at the Race...as we spoke with survivors about Lynch syndrome, we found most had heard of it, many had been tested and there were many who were pending testing.  The medical professionals who were participating in the race, had all heard of it.  In 2009, this would never have occurred. We are very grateful to the medical professionals at the University of California, Davis, Kaiser Permanente, Sacramento, and Sutter Healthcare, who have worked hard at identifying those with the Lynch syndrome and providing diagnosis as well as to the commercial testing reps who have been working hard to educate the general physicians in the area.  Good job, Docs, NPs, Nurses and GCs, in your determined efforts to protect families and save lives.

Great things are happening for our families in Northern California! 

March was a terrific month for Lynch syndrome public awareness.

At the request of individual state Lynch Syndrome International Task Force Leaders and hundreds of volunteers, thirty six Governors, nationwide, signed proclamations declaring March 22, 2013  Lynch Syndrome Hereditary Cancer Public Awareness Day, in their states.  Additionally, two Governors submitted letters of support. 

In this effort, LSI worked with many different organizations and institutions throughout the U.S.  We are so very grateful to the genetic counselors, the instititutions, the companies and our dozens and dozens of  volunteers whose efforts  will result in saving thousands of lives by participating in this one day.

Events and activities included:

Nick Seferin of CBS News - London, wrote a terrific news article about Lynch syndrome and the agonizing choice of prophylactic colectomy which reached millions.  The History of Bowel Cancer Clinic in Middlesex, England was extremely active in promoting public awareness there.

A paper was published by Jurgen Seppen of  Vereniging HNPCC-Lynch in the Netherlands and Linda Bruzzone of Lynch Syndrome International addressing the perspective of the patients.  Awareness efforts to educate physicians was performed by Lynch Syndrome Australia and with the announcement of the newly formed Lynch Syndrome organization formed in Spain, AFAL Spain.

Various hospitals and organizations held Lynch Syndrome Days in their communities, including a collaborative effort with the Michigan State Public Health Department Kalamazoo, Michigan and local institutions, Lynch Syndrome educational days for patients and medical providers at  the University of Washington, Seattle, University of Texas, SW, Sloan Kettering, Fox Chase and various public awareness campaigns occurred at local hospitals and medical facilities including the Akron Childrens Hospital, Theda Clark Health Services in Appleton, Wisconsin, numerous clinics in Florida, Texas, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona and many more across the United States.  To them, we are so very grateful and have already received telephone calls and emails from those pending diagnosis, following their efforts.

Approximately 15,000 radio spots were played nationwide and, new this year, were billboards in Georgia, California and Kansas and teams of runners participated with the Colon Cancer Alliance with their Undy500 races. 

LSI exhibited at NCCN in Hollywood, Florida.  It was a wonderful experience to see physicians actively involved in Lynch syndrome and approaching the table, ready to engage in learning more about it.  The nurses were terrific and passionate about performing risk assessment, following a training session from Heather Hampel.  They will make an incredible difference in the level of diagnosis.

Approximately 135 communities were actively involved this year through grassroots efforts of our volunteers and approximately 27,000 brochures, wristbands, tattoos were distributed, nationwide.  Dozens of volunteers were involved in local media newspaper and television articles. 

We met with the staff of a few Congressional members who agreed to work with LSI in assisting in recognizing the preventative measures with genetic testing and annual screenings and the need to eliminate co-pays for ongoing medical screenings and genetic testing, as well as offer genetic testing services for those individuals unaffected by cancers and who are covered by Medicaid, Tricare and Medicare.

The month ended with our Canadian representative who announced Manitoba will soon be performing genetic testing.

Finally, we interracted with many who are newly diagnosed with Lynch syndrome or those who were in need of assistance with genetic testing and annual screenings.  The need is getting greater every day and the numbers contacting us have doubled during the past six months.  Approximately fifty percent of the workweek is now spent providing support for our families and the other fifty percent with outreach efforts.  We are rapidly expanding and that is a good thing!

A short rest and then we're on to Relay for Life outreach efforts within our local communities.  We are beginning to send out packages including posters, tattoos and wristbands for Relay for Life events.  Be sure and request yours early...at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  As always, there is no cost!

This brief questionnaire will help you determine whether you should be further evaluated for either Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer syndrome or Lynch syndrome. On average, the quiz takes less than 1 minute to complete.

Hereditary Cancer Quiz

LSI is establishing a team for the , Sacramento Undy 500 Race to be held on March 2, 2013. For those in California, interesting in participating in a 5K Race, a 5K Youth Race or a 1 Mile Fun Run~ bring the families for a great time!  Write: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for entry!

Rectal Cancer and the Lynch syndrome: ...less common than colon cancer,RC is an important component of LS and may be overrepresented in MSH2 mutation carriers. Given high risk of synchronous or metachronous cancers, appropriate surveillance for second malignancies is necessary.