Screenings and Early Detection

Assessing your risk

In addition to talking with your doctor about your family background, there are other ways you can look at your risk for developing colorectal cancer. Though it is true that the only definitive answers come from screenings, there is some very useful detective work available.

If you and your doctor determine that further investigation is necessary, an excellent resource is the Medical Genetics Clinic at University of Washington Medical Center. This is a unique resource in the region for evaluation and diagnosis for people at risk for genetic diseases, and for long-term planning, follow-up, and treatment.

In collaboration with a patient's primary care doctor UW physicians, medical geneticists, and board-certified genetic counselors work with individuals and their families to inform, diagnose, counsel, and refer for appropriate management. Many of these physicians are nationally and internationally recognized experts in their fields and are often included among the "Best Doctors in America" compilations.