Colorectal Cancer

The connection between obesity and colorectal cancer is well established, but the mechanics are not understood.

Adding vemurafenib, known to target a mutation affecting 10% of metastatic colorectal cancers, made a big difference.

Researchers sought to gain a better understanding of the relationship between genetic mutations in metastatic colon cancer (mCRC), advanced disease, and locations of primary tumors.

Early detection of colon cancer is key to survival. New guidance advises endoscopists in identifying malignant colorectal polyps and recommendations for surgery.

The authors wrote that in states that expanded Medicaid health insurance coverage in 2014, there was an increase of early-stage colon cancer diagnoses compared with states that did not implement expansion.

Researchers found the application of FOLFOXai, an artificial intelligence (AI)–based predictor of response to FOLFOX chemotherapy in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), may lead to improved treatment outcomes for some patients with mCRC and other cancers.

This study identified characteristics of patients with colorectal cancer who traveled farther for surgery and found that those who traveled tended to stay longer at the hospital.

Despite a 20% drop in mortality since 2009, colorectal cancer accounted for 9.8% (881,000) of deaths worldwide in 2018 and represents 10.2% of all cancer cases worldwide. It is No. 3 on the list of most prevalent cancers worldwide—1.8 million new cases in 2018—behind only lung cancer and breast cancer.

Genetic alternations in colorectal cancer (CRC) are linked to different survival and treatment outcomes, according to a study that used next-generation sequencing (NGS) of tumor DNA. The study was published in Journal of Clinical Oncology.