Portal: Colorectal Cancer, Categories Cancer Treatment

Guideline: FDA recommends testing to prevent serious side effects from 5-FU and capecitabine chemotherapy

A small number of people treated with the chemotherapy drugs 5-FU (5-fluorouracil) or capecitabine (Xeloda) can have serious or even life-threatening side effects because their body breaks down the drug more slowly than is typical. A genetic test called DPYD testing can help identify people at higher risk for serious side effects before treatment starts. (posted 2/11/26)

Topic: What Patients Need to Know About Liquid Biopsies in Cancer Care

Liquid biopsies are tests that look for signs of cancer in blood or other body fluids. These signs can include cancer cells that have broken away from a tumor, pieces of cancer cell DNA and proteins or other biomarkers found in cancer cells. Liquid biopsies can be used to screen for cancer before a cancer diagnosis or guide treatment after a diagnosis. (posted 2/6/26)

Study: Early trial of new vaccine shows promise for treating KRAS-mutated pancreatic and colon cancers

A vaccine for treating pancreatic and colon cancers with a biomarker known as a KRAS mutation produced a strong immune response in people at high risk of recurrence in an early clinical trial. This promising vaccine is now being studied in a larger clinical trial. (Posted 12/9/25)

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Study: Cancer patients with certain inherited mutations have cancer outcomes similar to those without inherited mutations

People with an inherited mutation in certain genes, including ATM, CHEK2, PALB2, BRCA or Lynch syndrome genes, have an increased risk of cancer. In this study, researchers wanted to know whether cancer patients with inherited mutations had a different chance of survival than patients without an inherited mutation in these genes. These results showed that, although the risk of cancer is increased, there is no difference in survival after a diagnosis of breast, pancreatic or colorectal cancer with or without these genetic changes. (posted 11/20/25)

Study: Exercise may delay the return of colon cancer and help people live longer

People who participated in a structured exercise program following completed treatment for colon cancer experienced more time without cancer growth and lived longer than those who did not. This study suggests that regular, moderate-intensity exercise can benefit the long-term health of people with early-stage colon cancer. (Posted 11/05/25)

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Study: Two immunotherapy drugs are better than one for some metastatic colorectal cancers

Combining two immunotherapy drugs is a more effective treatment for certain metastatic colorectal cancers than using either treatment drug alone. Used together, Opdivo (nivolumab) plus Yervoy (ipilimumab) slowed cancer growth in MSI-High metastatic colorectal cancers, a type of colorectal cancer often found in Lynch syndrome. The FDA approved this combined treatment for MSI-High metastatic colorectal cancer after progression with chemotherapy. (Posted 4/30/25)

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Update: News from the FDA: Colorectal cancer screening and treatment

This XRAY review is a summary of FDA colorectal cancer (CRC) updates in the last year, including education regarding CRC screening, three treatment drugs targeting different types of CRC and two colorectal screening tests. (Posted 4/16/25)

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Study: Colorectal cancer in people with Lynch syndrome can include types of cancer found more typically in people without Lynch syndrome

When people with Lynch syndrome (LS) develop cancer, their tumors typically have a related set of features or biomarkers known as deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) and high microsatellite instability (MSI-High). However, occasionally people with Lynch syndrome have cancers that are proficient in mismatch repair (pMMR or MMR-P) and have microsatellite stability (MSS or MSI-Low) –more like the colorectal cancers found in people without Lynch syndrome. This study shows that 10 percent of people with Lynch syndrome may have these types of cancers. This can change treatment recommendations. (Posted 9/5/24)

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Topic: The drug Enhertu is FDA-approved for any advanced or metastatic HER2-positive tumors

The FDA granted accelerated approval of Enhertu for people with any HER2-positive tumor that is metastatic or cannot be surgically removed. Eligible patients must have had previous treatment such as chemotherapy or hormone therapy. (Posted 7/19/24)

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Topic: Experts call for early palliative care for cancer patients

People with cancer need support and care not only at the end of life but from the time of diagnosis. At the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting, the organization’s president urged cancer healthcare professionals to make palliative care central to cancer treatment. (Posted 7/17/24)

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