On June 1, 2023, the “Karina” Hereditary Cancer Predisposition Clinic was opened under the initiative of the Yolyan Hematology and Oncology Center of the Ministry of Health of RA, and with the support of our foundation. The project’s one-year cost amounts to approximately 32,596,480 drams. This is an unprecedented program with great potential to become a key center in the region.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. In Armenia, according to mortality rates, cancer occupies the second place. Cancer is a multifactorial disease, influenced by environmental factors as well as genetic predispositions. Hereditary predisposition to cancer, or genetic resistance to cancer, represents a condition where certain genes increase the likelihood of developing one or more types of cancer over a person’s lifetime. In 10% of cases, cancer arises due to hereditary predispositions, and the responsible mutated gene is passed down from generation to generation.

Currently, in Armenia, hereditary cancer predisposition diagnosis and management are not being carried out, due to the lack of necessary resources such as equipment, technologies, educational resources, guidelines, a national database of patients with hereditary predispositions to cancer, and other reasons.

The main goal of the center is to identify children with hereditary predispositions to cancer and provide them with comprehensive and continuous medical services, which will help prevent the disease or detect and treat it effectively at an early stage.

The center’s doctors collaborate with a number of leading centers and specialists worldwide, incorporating their experience into their work. One of the main goals of the center is also to raise awareness about hereditary cancer in the medical community and the population, as well as to create a national registry of patients with hereditary predispositions to cancer, which will be the basis for significant scientific research.