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VIDEO: Greater understanding of treatment options, genetics lead to “very exciting time” in rectal cancer
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In this video with Healio.com, Theodore S. Hong, MD, director of gastrointestinal radiation oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital, discusses ongoing research in rectal cancer.
According to Hong, “tremendous” progress has been made in the treatment of patients with rectal cancer using a combination of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. He describes ongoing efforts that aim to personalize treatment while maintaining cure rates and improving quality of life.
One advance in this area has been the realization that not all patients may require surgery, a “complex” pelvic procedure that impacts quality of life, according to Hong. He describes a recent investigation where surgery was avoided in some patients who responded clinically to a combination of radiation and chemotherapy.
The observation that surgery may be avoided “intersects with the greater understanding of genomics in colorectal cancer,” according to Hong.
“This is a very exciting time in the treatment of rectal cancer,” he said.