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Blood Test Helps Personalize Treatment for Advanced Colorectal Cancer

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Blood Test Helps Personalize Treatment for Advanced Colorectal Cancer

For patients with advanced colorectal cancer that no longer responds to standard treatments, options can be limited. Doctors are exploring new ways to choose the right therapy based on the tumor’s genetic profile. One promising approach is liquid biopsy, a blood test that looks for cancer DNA circulating in the bloodstream.

The CAVE-2 GOIM trial studied how liquid biopsy can guide treatment for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who might benefit from a second round of anti-EGFR therapy. This therapy uses drugs that block a protein called EGFR, which helps cancer grow. Not all patients respond, so selecting the right ones is important.

In this study, blood samples from over 320 patients were tested using a comprehensive genetic analysis. The test found thousands of genetic changes in tumor DNA. Some of these changes, like mutations in the RAS or BRAF genes, are known to make EGFR-targeted drugs less effective. The test also identified other changes that could point to different treatment options.

Importantly, more than half of the patients had genetic alterations that might be targeted with existing or experimental therapies. This means a simple blood test could help doctors match patients to treatments that are more likely to work, instead of using a one-size-fits-all approach.

For patients, this research shows how liquid biopsy can make cancer treatment more personalized. It avoids unnecessary treatments, helps doctors decide if anti-EGFR drugs should be used again, and may reveal other therapies that could be effective.

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Dr Harsh Shah - GI & HPB Oncosurgeon in Ahmeadbad
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