Young patients with stage II or III colon cancer get equal benefit from chemotherapy as older patients, and they have similar side effects.

Five years after treatment, 67 percent of patients under the age of fifty hadn’t had their cancer spread beyond the colon (recurrence-free interval), the same percentage that applied to patients who were fifty or over.

Overall survival and disease-free survival were somewhat better for young patients because they had fewer other reasons for dying.  Overall and disease-free survival reflect patients who are alive five years after beginning treatment.  Neither includes people who have died from any cause, including their cancer. Read the rest of this entry »

Colondar Models Erika and Cathy

When colorectal cancer spreads to other parts of the body, young people under 50 who get chemotherapy benefit as much as those who are older.

With drug combinations, there is no difference between those under 50 and those who are 50 and older in responding to chemotherapy, how long it takes before cancer gets worse, or in survival time. Read the rest of this entry »

The summer 2010 issue of C3′s printed newsletter Momentum is now available online.

Some headlines from this issue:

• Palliative Care: Not Just for End of Life
• Listening to the Little Voice
• Patient to Patient Advice for Caregivers
• Health Care Reform & Cancer: Your Implementation Guide

You’ll also read testimonials from advocates who attended the C3 Call-on Congress in March and learn about the young, innovative researcher who is looking into new treatments for late stage colorectal cancer, thanks to a grant from C3.

To receive Momentum free at home, sign up at the C3 Action Center.

Kate Murphy and Carlea Bauman report from the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago, IL:

Learn more about the research presented at the meeting. Register for our webinar on Monday, June 21 at 8 pm.

Patients with colon cancer have learned over the last two years that we have now a genetic marker which can predict efficacy of antibodies against EGFR which are used in patients with metastatic colon cancer.

We have learned that tumors with mutations in KRAS will not benefit from this treatment. All patients should be tested for KRAS mutation if they have advanced or metastatic disease.

However patients who have mutations of the KRAS gene don’t do worse than patients with wild type. The only difference is that the drugs which target EGFR will not work. Read the rest of this entry »