Gastrointestinal Cancer Prevention Program
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, we not only treat patients who have gastrointestinal (GI) cancers — we help prevent people from getting these cancers of the digestive system in the first place.
If genetic testing shows you are at high risk for a GI cancer, our team of gastroenterologists, genetic counselors and medical geneticists at the Gastrointestinal Cancer Prevention Program can expertly assess, screen and monitor you in order to reduce that risk.
Programs for screening and surveillance (monitoring) of GI cancers have been found to detect cancer at an earlier stage, when it is curable. We can help assess your personal risk of cancer and design a personalized prevention plan for you.
What happens at your first appointment
Before your visit to the Gastrointestinal Cancer Prevention Program at Fred Hutch, our GI experts will review your medical records, your family history of GI and other cancers and the results of any tests you may have had elsewhere.
Once we have this information, we will schedule a time for you to come in to discuss your results and work with you to build your personalized prevention program. Depending on your unique risk profile, you may meet with one or more providers — such as a gastroenterologist, medical geneticist, genetic counselor or nutritionist — during this appointment. Your appointment will last about two hours.
Your plan will be as unique as you are. For instance, if your test results show you are at risk for colon cancer, your plan may include a yearly colonoscopy. If you have a different type of risk, our gastroenterologist might prescribe a medication. You might have surveillance and screening endoscopies done at Fred Hutch or the University of Washington Medical Center. Sometimes, we refer patients to the High-Risk Surveillance Clinic at Fred Hutch for further care.
Care team
The Gastrointestinal Cancer Prevention Program team is made up of experts from a variety of specialties within Fred Hutch.
Find care team profiles
Meet the caring, dedicated people who take care of you and your family at Fred Hutch.





Genetic counselors
Fred Hutch Genetic Counseling Service providers are all licensed, board-certified genetic counselors.

Everett Lally provides counseling for a variety of hereditary cancer syndromes. He has a special interest in cancer genetics with a focus on gastrointestinal diseases and prostate cancer. He is certified by the American Board of Genetic Counseling and licensed by the Washington State Department of Health.

Emily Maxwell provides counseling for a variety of hereditary cancer syndromes. She has completed her Masters of Science in Genetic Counseling in Boston, and is excited to be part of the oncology community in Seattle. She has a special interest in hereditary cancer and enjoys helping patients and their families use genetic information to navigate cancer prevention, treatment and surveillance. She is certified by the American Board of Genetic Counseling and licensed by the Washington State Department of Health.