Determining when to proceed with colon cancer treatment is one of the most difficult decisions a patient and his or her loved one may ever make. In this ecancer.org article, Professor David Kerr, from the Oxford Clinical Trials Research Unit (Oxford, UK), provides ecancerTV an interview describing the “Oncotype DX Colon Cancer Assay.”
This test can provide additional information about treatment options and odds — particularly for those with a bad prognosis. Professor Kerr explains how patients’ gene signatures can identify people with a higher vs. lower risk of cancer recurrence — information that can help patients determine whether they are likely to benefit from additional chemotherapy. The results may also allow doctors to “tailor” treatments to the needs of individual colon cancer patients, selecting treatments at the right time and for the right disease.