Colorectal Cancer Video Perspectives

In June 2021, Jeffrey M. Farma, MD, FACS, division chief of general surgery and professor of surgical oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center, spoke with Healio about treatment options and considerations for patients with colorectal cancer.

In these videos, Farma discussed:

• The rationale behind and importance of updated guidelines recommending lowering the age for CRC screening;
• How clinicians may approach treatment differently in younger vs. older patients with CRC, such as accounting for fertility preservation, and the issues of seeing younger patients with more advanced stages of disease due to a lack of screening;
• Changes in the use of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with CRC, including when shorter duration of therapy or de-escalation of therapy may be appropriate;
• The use of targeted therapies in CRC, such as immunotherapy moving toward the forefront of treatment and how testing for genetic mutations can inform decision making;
• The role of the surgeon and situations in which surgery is the most appropriate treatment option;
• How molecular profiling can be used to help choose and plan systemic therapy; and
• The most exciting areas of research in CRC, including immunotherapy for metastatic colon cancer and dramatic changes in how clinicians sequence therapy and increase response rates in patients with rectal cancer, among other developments.