History of the Lynch Cancer Research Center

The Hereditary Cancer Center (HCC) at Creighton University was formally established in 1984. In 2021, the center was renamed the Lynch Cancer Research Center (LCRC) in honor of Dr. Henry Lynch. The primary objective of the HCC was to conduct comprehensive research projects dealing with cancer of all anatomic sites. Now, the LCRC's primary objective is devoted to cancer prevention resulting from identification of hereditary cancer syndromes with particular attention given to surveillance and management programs melded to the natural history of these particular hereditary disorders.

The LCRC has developed educational programs throughout the United States, portions of Canada, South America, Puerto Rico and in many areas of Europe and Asia, particularly Japan. The LCRC has accumulated a registry of 1743 families with over 30,000 patients at risk.

The LCRC commitment has continued since its inauguration and has now evolved significantly into the molecular genetic age where germline mutations have been found in countless cancer prone kindreds with particular emphasis in the hereditary breast ovarian cancer syndrome, the familial typical multiple mole melanoma (FAMMM) syndrome in association with pancreatic cancer and the hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) syndromes, also referred to as the Lynch syndrome.