Colonic and rectal cancers or colorectal cancers contribute to almost 650,000 deaths worldwide each year and are considered to be the fifth commonest cancer in the United States. When comparing the deaths caused by each type of cancers, the colorectal cancers account for the third most number of deaths from cancers in the western world with lung cancers topping the list which is followed by breast and prostate cancers in females and males respectively.
When a colorectal cancers is detected, it will be assessed and staged according to is spread. Following this, the clinicians will make a decision as to what treatment modality would be most useful in each case; and surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are used in many different ways to achieve the maximum survival benefit.
Among these treatment modalities, surgery would probably be the most effective in cancers confined to early stages as it can either completely remove the cancer or else reduce the bulk of the cancer to achieve a good prognostic benefit in combination with other treatment modalities. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy on the other hand, would show value in cases of metastasis as well as to reduce the recurrence following a surgical intervention. At the same time, chemo and radio therapies are also used in reducing the size of the tumor before a surgical intervention is done and this option is called neo-adjuvant therapy.
When considering chemotherapies, there are many drugs that are being used alone or in combination and the selection of the most appropriate would depend on the patient state, tumor size and its spread along with other health issues related to these patients. In recent times, the need to check for a gene mutation known as the ‘KRAS gene mutation’ which if present would down regulate the functional effectiveness of ‘Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibitor drugs’ has been adapted by the scientific community. Thus, before starting on these drugs, the patients will undergo gene testing to detect the mutation that was mentioned.
At the same time, certain other researchers have indicated the possibility of 5-FU based chemotherapy drugs to have the potential to cure some of the colorectal cancer patients in stage II and stage III. The results were based on follow-up studies which indicated that, continuing 5-FU based treatment would reduce the recurrence of colorectal cancers significantly in the first 2 years following cancer treatment and after 8 years, the recurrence rate of the cancer would be very minute and was about 0.5%. Thus, long term treatment with this regime is adopted with other treatment options for giving these patients more survival opportunity and to improve their quality of life as well.
In another twist in chemotherapy for colorectal cancers, certain researchers have indicated the possibility of reducing the overall life expectancy of these cancer patients when certain drugs are combined as against giving them alone. The tested drugs were cetuximab and bevacizumab which was given in combination and bevacizumab alone. Thus, the clinicians and scientists will have another paradigm to think before initiating chemotherapy treatment on colorectal cancer patients in the future.
When a colorectal cancers is detected, it will be assessed and staged according to is spread. Following this, the clinicians will make a decision as to what treatment modality would be most useful in each case; and surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are used in many different ways to achieve the maximum survival benefit.
Among these treatment modalities, surgery would probably be the most effective in cancers confined to early stages as it can either completely remove the cancer or else reduce the bulk of the cancer to achieve a good prognostic benefit in combination with other treatment modalities. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy on the other hand, would show value in cases of metastasis as well as to reduce the recurrence following a surgical intervention. At the same time, chemo and radio therapies are also used in reducing the size of the tumor before a surgical intervention is done and this option is called neo-adjuvant therapy.
When considering chemotherapies, there are many drugs that are being used alone or in combination and the selection of the most appropriate would depend on the patient state, tumor size and its spread along with other health issues related to these patients. In recent times, the need to check for a gene mutation known as the ‘KRAS gene mutation’ which if present would down regulate the functional effectiveness of ‘Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibitor drugs’ has been adapted by the scientific community. Thus, before starting on these drugs, the patients will undergo gene testing to detect the mutation that was mentioned.
At the same time, certain other researchers have indicated the possibility of 5-FU based chemotherapy drugs to have the potential to cure some of the colorectal cancer patients in stage II and stage III. The results were based on follow-up studies which indicated that, continuing 5-FU based treatment would reduce the recurrence of colorectal cancers significantly in the first 2 years following cancer treatment and after 8 years, the recurrence rate of the cancer would be very minute and was about 0.5%. Thus, long term treatment with this regime is adopted with other treatment options for giving these patients more survival opportunity and to improve their quality of life as well.
In another twist in chemotherapy for colorectal cancers, certain researchers have indicated the possibility of reducing the overall life expectancy of these cancer patients when certain drugs are combined as against giving them alone. The tested drugs were cetuximab and bevacizumab which was given in combination and bevacizumab alone. Thus, the clinicians and scientists will have another paradigm to think before initiating chemotherapy treatment on colorectal cancer patients in the future.