Rectal Cancer Information Center

Rectal Cancer News

Physicians with More Training Perform More Effective Colonoscopies (05/07/2008)
A recent trial conducted at 15 different medical centers in Korea indicates that a physician must perform at least 150 colonoscopies to be considered competent at the procedure. Details of the study were recently published in the journal Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

Celebrex® Reduces Colon Adenomas (04/17/2008)
The COX2-inhibitor Celebrex® (celecoxib) reduces the rate of colon adenomas at five years and appears safe, even among patients with cardiovascular disease. These results were recently presented as a late-breaking abstract at the 2008 annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Drug Combination Decreases Recurrence Rate of Colon Polyps (04/15/2008)
The combination of the difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and sulindac reduces the rate of colon adenomas (growths or polyps) by up to 95% among patients who have had prior colon polyps. These results were presented as a late-breaking abstract at the 2008 annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Combination of Erbitux® and Camptosar® Improves Outcome in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (04/14/2008)
The combination of Erbitux® (cetuximab) and Camptosar® (irinotecan) may be more effective than Camptosar alone for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer that is positive for the epidermal growth factor receptor. This study was recently published online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Testing for Specific Protein May Identify Colorectal Patients Who Will Benefit from Erbitux® (04/07/2008)
Researchers have identified a test to predict which patients with colorectal cancer would likely respond to treatment with Erbitux® (cetuximab). Details of the study were recently published in the Annals of Oncology.