Colon Cancer Research: An Introduction
Doctors and scientists all over the country are conducting
colon cancer research.
Colon cancer research studies are designed to answer important questions and to determine whether new approaches are safe and effective. While colon cancer research already has led to many advances, researchers continue to search for more effective methods of dealing with the disease.
Current Focus of Colon Cancer Research
Colon cancer research scientists are focusing on new drugs, new combinations of chemotherapy, and combinations of chemotherapy and radiation before and after surgery. Biological therapy is also under investigation. Biological therapy is a treatment that uses substances made by the body or made in a laboratory to boost, direct, or restore the body's natural defenses against cancer. This type of
colon cancer treatment is also called biotherapy or immunotherapy.
Other colon cancer research is being conducted on new tests that may detect recurrent colon cancer earlier. For example, after treatment for colon cancer, a blood test to measure carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA; a substance in the blood that may be increased when colon cancer is present) may be performed along with other tests to see if the cancer has come back.
Potential Benefits of Participating in Colon Cancer Research
In order for colon cancer research to be conducted, volunteers are needed. Patients who join colon cancer research studies have the first chance to benefit from treatments that have shown promise in earlier research. Patients who volunteer also make an important contribution to medical science by helping doctors learn more about colon cancer. Although colon cancer research trials may pose some risks, researchers take careful steps to protect their patients.
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