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 »

When we see patients in our offices with metastatic colon cancer which is confined to the peritoneal cavity and the histology of the cancer shows mucinous carcinoma, we consider not only chemotherapy but also think about specialized surgery to remove the cancer in the abdomen and combine this with hyperthermia and chemotherapy given directly into the cavity during surgery.

Why is that? Read the rest of this entry »

Genomic Health has commercialized a new test which has been shown to be associated with risk of tumor recurrence for stage II colon cancer. The test came on the market in January of 2010.

I wanted to review with you the limitations of this test, which is  not as good by far as the test they have developed for breast cancer. Read the rest of this entry »

In the month of March we celebrate Colon Cancer Awareness.

Colon cancer is one of the few cancers we can prevent successfully with colonoscopy, better than breast cancer or any other cancer with the exception of cervical cancer.

It takes usually about 5-10 years to develop colon cancer, which gives us a great window of opportunity to screen. We know that usually we see polyps first, which can develop into cancer, but that normally takes years. With screening we can see polyps and remove them before they develop into cancer. Read the rest of this entry »

Every year in the month of March we celebrate our patients during a reception at USC.

We invite them for food and wine in the Norris lobby which we convert into a party space. We invite patients and physicians to talk about their experiences and about new developments at our center and the progress we have made in the last year. Read the rest of this entry »