New Treatments for Colon Cancer

The World Health Organization reported in February of 2009 that colon cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. New treatments from surgery to to new medications are becoming available to fight this widespread disease.

Laparoscopic Surgery

• Surgically, the removal of cancerous tumors in the colon is seeing a shift from "open" surgery to laparoscopic surgery. This newer form of surgery requires numerous tiny incisions, as opposed to the traditional method of using one large incision.

Vaccination

• A vaccine developed at the University of Pittsburgh may help current cancer patients and those at a high-risk for colon cancer by attacking the self-produced cell protein known as MUC1. MUC1 is integral in the formation of colon cancers, and the vaccine helps build the body's immune response to MUC1.

Monoclonal Antibodies

• Monoclonal antibodies are antibodies cloned from a single immune cell and directly target cancer cells or substances that assist in the growth of cancer cells.

Combination Chemotherapy

• At the 2003 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, it was reported that combination drug and chemotherapy, known as FOLOX, has been shown to be highly effective in prolonging life in colon cancer patients after surgery.

Future Studies

• Scientists are studying how to use current genetic research, preventative chemotherapy and robotic surgery as a means to ending colon cancer.