An Introduction to Colon Cancer Research
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.
Researchers 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 Research Studies
In order for research to be conducted on colon cancer, volunteers are needed. Patients who join 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 research trials may pose some risks, researchers take careful steps to protect their patients.
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