Early
detection through screening remains one of the most effective means for
fighting colorectal cancer. Regular screening tests such as colonoscopy,
sigmoidoscopy, and fecal occult blood tests can detect precancerous polyps or
find cancer at its earliest stages, when treatment is often minimally invasive
and highly effective. In fact, research shows that colorectal cancer mortality rates
have been declining for several decades, due in large part to increased
screening and earlier detection efforts. Despite progress, efforts are still
needed to improve screening compliance rates in average-risk individuals aged
50 to 75.

As our understanding of cancer biology has advanced, so too have treatment
approaches that specifically target the molecular drivers of tumor growth.
Routine tumor molecular testing can now identify specific genetic mutations linked
to certain Colorectal
Cancer Therapeutics, such as mutations in the KRAS, NRAS, and BRAF
genes. For patients with tumors containing mutations in these so-called RAS
genes, certain anti-EGFR therapies like cetuximab and panitumumab have proven
ineffective. As a result, tumor molecular testing is increasingly standard
practice to help guide appropriate first-line therapy selection. For those with
RAS wild-type disease, anti-EGFR drugs can provide meaningful benefits when
combined with chemotherapy.

Immunotherapies have emerged as transformative new options for many cancer
types, and colorectal cancer is no exception. Checkpoint inhibitors target
certain inhibitory proteins on immune cells, freeing the brakes on the immune
system to mount a stronger antitumor response. Drugs blocking the PD-1/PD-L1
pathway have shown promising results in metastasized colorectal cancer
refractory to chemotherapy or when used as subsequent therapy. The anti-PD-1
drug pembrolizumab was approved by the FDA for mismatch repair
deficient/microsatellite instability-high tumors, and trials are investigating
its potential upfront in combination with chemotherapy versus chemotherapy
alone. Other immunotherapies under study include investigational vaccines, bispecific
antibodies, and CAR T-cell therapies. Though results have been modest thus far,
continued development aims to boost response rates through optimal combination
and sequencing strategies.