Counseling families with hereditary gastrointestinal polyposis syndromes

Counseling for families with one of the hereditary polyposis and/or colon cancer syndromes can be offered by a number of different professional persons depending upon the emotional needs of the counselee. It is sometimes difficult to persuade at‐risk persons in polyposis families to institute a medical surveillance plan with their physicians because of their reactions to knowledge (or lack of it) of the family diagnosis. Counseling may reveal both emotional and financial problems as deterrents to needed medical planning. Support organizations and explanatory literature are helpful in allaying fears and promoting compliance.