Author Interviews, Biomarkers, Cancer Research / 28.06.2020

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Kathryn Lang VP, Outcomes and Evidence Guardant Health  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Despite a wide variety of screening methods available and increasing public awareness of the value of early detection, colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths.  However nearly 1 in 3 adults in the United States  is not compliant with screening recommendations, with most citing that current screening methods are time consuming, unpleasant (stool-based testing), and in the case of colonoscopy, invasive. A blood-based CRC screening test could improve compliance rates by providing physicians with an opportunistic, in-office screening modality. However, demonstrating the clinical utility of blood-based cell-free circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) fractions  for the detection of cancer in asymptomatic individuals has thus far been challenged by the failure to achieve clinically meaningful sensitivity and specificity thresholds due to significantly lower tumor cell-free free DNA  fractions and the increasing relevance of biological confounders. The multi-modal approach of Guardant Health’s LUNAR-2 assay (genomics, methylation and fragmentomics) coupled with advanced bioinformatic analysis and a focused approach of honing in on the unique signals of CRC  has been shown in previously reported cohorts to perform with sensitivity and specificity which satisfies the needs of clinicians in screening for CRC. (more…)
Author Interviews, Colon Cancer, Gastrointestinal Disease / 06.06.2018

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Anas Raed, MD Section of General Internal Medicine Augusta University MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality rates have been decreasing in the US since mid 1980s, however, recent evidence shows that incidence and mortality rates of CRC in patients younger than 50 years have been increasing significantly. In spite of the increasing trend of colorectal cancer, routine screening of this population has not been addressed due to lack of evidence and cost-effectiveness. Administering screening colonoscopy for all individuals younger than 50 years might not be feasible and, therefore routine screening colonoscopy for specific age groups might reduce the disparity of the incidence in this disease. (more…)
Author Interviews, Colon Cancer, Race/Ethnic Diversity / 15.11.2017

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Helmneh M. Sineshaw, MD, MPH American Cancer Society Atlanta, GA 30303 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in both men and women in the United Sates. Although overall CRC incidence and mortality rates are decreasing in the United States, rates are increasing in the younger population. Notwithstanding these patterns, CRC incidence and mortality rates continue to be higher in blacks than in whites. Although black-white survival disparity among patients with colorectal cancer is well documented in the literature and multiple factors have been proposed as potential contributors, the contributions of differences in demographic characteristics, insurance type, comorbidity, tumor presentation, and treatment receipt to the racial disparity in survival among nonelderly CRC patients are unknown. (more…)
ASCO, Author Interviews, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Colon Cancer, Exercise - Fitness / 21.01.2017

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Brendan John Guercio, M.D. Clinical Fellow in Medicine (EXT) Brigham and Women's Hospital MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Sedentary lifestyle is a known risk factor for the development of colon cancer and has been associated with increased disease recurrence and mortality in patients with early stage colorectal cancer. This is the first study to our knowledge to show an association between increased physical activity (i.e. non-sedentary lifestyle) and improved survival and progression-free survival in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. (more…)
Author Interviews, Colon Cancer, Genetic Research, Journal Clinical Oncology / 03.11.2015

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Hans F.A. Vasen, MD Department of Gastroenterology Leiden University Medical Center and Netherlands Foundation for the Detection of Hereditary Tumours Leiden, the Netherlands Medical Research: What is the background for this study? Dr. Vasen: People with familial colorectal cancer (CRC) have a 3-6 fold increased risk of colorectal cancer. It has been estimated that about 2% of the population have familial CRC (about 2.7 million people in the US). Previous studies showed that colonoscopic surveillance reduces the CRC-mortality by >80%. In people with hereditary CRC, i.e., Lynch syndrome (10 fold increased risk of CRC), an intensive screening program with colonoscopy 1x/1-2 years, is recommended. In familialcolorectal cancer, the optimal screening program  is unknown. Medical Research: What are the main findings? Dr. Vasen: In this randomized trial with 528 individuals at risk for familial CRC, we compared screening intervals of 3 and 6 years. We found that patients had significant more high-risk adenomas (precursor lesions of CRC) at 6-years-follow-up compared to at 3-years-follow-up. However, because of the relatively low rate of high-risk adenomas at 6 years (7%) and the absence of colorectal cancer in the 6-years group, we consider a 6-year-interval safe. (more…)