Clinical Research Directory

Familial Adenomatous Poliposys Italian Network (Rete Italiana Poliposi Adenomatosa Familiare)

RIPAF (Rete Italiana Poliposi Adenomatosa Familiare) is a national, multicenter observational registry designed to establish a coordinated Italian network for the management of Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) and related adenomatous polyposis syndromes. The registry includes patients with APC-related FAP (classic and attenuated forms), MUTYH-associated polyposis (MAP), and adenomatous polyposis not associated with APC or MUTYH mutations (NAMP), including cases linked to other susceptibility genes or without identified pathogenic variants. The study combines retrospective and prospective data collection across 28 Italian centers. Its primary purpose is to generate standardized, large-scale clinical data to better characterize disease presentation and evolution, evaluate current surveillance and surgical strategies, and assess oncological outcomes and quality-of-care indicators in real-world practice. The registry will collect detailed information on genotype-phenotype correlations, colorectal and upper gastrointestinal cancer incidence, desmoid tumor development, timing and type of prophylactic surgery, postoperative outcomes, and long-term survival. Additional objectives include evaluating adherence to surveillance guidelines, timing of genetic diagnosis, and preventive surgical uptake among at-risk relatives. By harmonizing data collection and promoting collaboration among referral centers, RIPAF aims to reduce variability in clinical management across Italy, improve risk stratification and decision-making, and create a national platform to support future multicenter research initiatives and international collaborations in hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes.

Duodenal Polyposis Classification in FAP

Duodenal cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), yet the current Spigelman staging system provides limited predictive accuracy for advanced neoplasia. The DRACO study (Duodenal Risk Assessment in adenomatous polyposis Coli -Oncogene) is a multicenter, STROBE- and CONSORT-compliant cohort study that analyzes upper endoscopies from genetically confirmed FAP patients across independent cohorts to develop, validate, and externally test two multivariable risk models.

Cold Atmospheric Plasma for the Endoscopic Treatment of Duodenal Polyps in Patients With Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

The objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility for the treatment of precancerous peri-ampullary FAP polyps in the duodenum using low-thermal argonplasma.