Antiangiogenic Treatments for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Описание: Learn more at www.scienceofcrc.org

Colorectal cancer can be treated and, if caught early, even cured. Preventative screenings are critical to detecting CRC because it typically does not have symptoms at its early, most curable stages. According to the Colon Cancer Alliance, 90% of deaths from colorectal cancer can be prevented if everybody aged 50 and older has regular screening tests.

The most common procedure for detecting CRC is a colonoscopy, which is when a gastroenterologist examines the inner lining of the colon and rectum by inserting a colonoscope-- a thin, long tube with a light and camera on it-- through the rectum. Your doctor can then find abnormalities, such as polyps, and take samples of tissue for biopsy and further testing. While most polyps are benign, some can develop into cancer.

If cancer is found, your doctor may use additional tests to identify the stage of the cancer. The stage describes the extent and location of the cancer, including whether it has spread locally or to other parts of the body. This information is used to plan the most effective treatments for each patient. There are five stages, and treatments can differ based on the stage of disease.

In its early stages, colorectal cancer is highly treatable.

If the cancer spreads into nearby lymph nodes, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery have been a highly successful combination treatment.

In the most difficult cases — when the cancer has metastasized to other organs, such as the liver or lungs — treatment can prolong life.

Solid cancers have been shown to depend upon angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels from pre-existing blood vessels, to grow beyond a few millimeters in size. These new blood vessels supply the tumor with the oxygen and nutrients needed to grow and act as lifelines to cancer cells.

A major advance in cancer treatment has been the development of drugs called angiogenesis inhibitors, or antiangiogenic drugs, which are designed to target tumor blood vessels and interfere with the tumor blood supply. In doing so, they help 'starve' cancer cells and can slow or stop tumor growth.

Some antiangiogenic treatments neutralize specific proteins, known as growth factors, to keep them from stimulating the growth of new blood vessels needed by the tumor to survive. Other treatments work by blocking multiple signaling pathways that drive angiogenesis, halting or slowing tumor cell growth and invasion, and stabilizing the tumor microenvironment.

There are three potential responses to antiangiogenic treatment:

1. Tumor Shrinkage: The primary tumor and metastases often shrink significantly with targeted treatments. Without a blood supply, the tumors cannot sustain themselves.

2. Tumor Stability: Tumor growth is stopped and the surrounding environment stabilizes.

3. Resistance or relapse: Tumors may continue to grow despite treatment, or respond to treatment and then begin to grow again. If a tumor is resistant or relapses after therapy, other subsequent therapies are often effective.

If you are diagnosed with metastatic colorectal cancer, a number of treatment options are available for you. Your doctor will help identify the best therapeutic approach for your situation, but it is important that you stay informed of all the options in order to have a productive discussion with your doctor. Knowledge and understanding of your condition equips you to take an active role in choosing and managing your treatment.