The West of Scotland Colorectal Cancer Managed Clinical Network (MCN) was established in 2000. Colorectal cancer, commonly known as bowel cancer, is the third most common cancer in both men and women in Scotland and is the second most common cause of cancer death. The ambition of the MCN is to deliver the best available treatment and care to every patient with colorectal cancer in the West of Scotland.
The MCN brings together healthcare professionals from all the various specialities treating colorectal cancer, either in a single hospital or across a number of hospital sites, into recognised multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs). These MDTs are responsible for assessment, diagnosis and treatment of patients with colorectal cancer, making sure that every patient gets access to specialist treatment when required. As well as a surgeon each team also includes specialist nurses, who are the main contacts for patients throughout their treatment, radiologists and pathologists who provide very important information to help diagnosis and to assess what type of treatment is best for individual patients. MDTs meet every week to discuss all new cases of cancer and to review the treatment provided to patients.