Colorectal Cancer: Latest Research

Approved by the Cancer.Net Editorial Board, 09/2023

ON THIS PAGE: You will read about the scientific research being done to learn more about colorectal cancer and how to treat it. Use the menu to see other pages.

Doctors are working to learn more about colorectal cancer, ways to prevent it, how to best treat it, and how to provide the best care to people diagnosed with this disease. The following areas of research may include new options for patients through clinical trials. Always talk with your doctor about the best diagnostic and treatment options for you.

  • Improved detection methods. Researchers are developing tests to analyze stool samples and blood samples to find genetic changes associated with colorectal cancer. By finding and removing polyps or identifying cancer early, doctors have a better chance of curing the disease.

  • Tests to predict the risk of cancer recurrence. Various genes play important roles in the growth and spread of tumors. Tests to identify these genes can help doctors and patients decide whether to use chemotherapy after treatment. Researchers hope that these tests can help people with a lower risk of recurrence avoid the side effects of additional treatment.

  • Immunotherapy. In the past several years, researchers have discovered a class of drugs that targets the ways that tumor cells avoid the immune system. These immunotherapy drugs are called checkpoint inhibitors. The latest research has shown that certain checkpoint inhibitors, called PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors, can be effective against a type of metastatic colorectal cancer that is microsatellite high (MSI-H) or has mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR). There are ongoing clinical trials looking at combining checkpoint inhibitors with other drugs or cancer-directed treatments to see if they can be helpful in tumors that are not MSI-H.

  • Chemotherapy and targeted therapy. New types of chemotherapy and targeted therapy are being studied for colorectal cancer, including advanced colon and rectal cancers. Most of these newer drugs are only available through clinical trials.

  • Palliative and supportive care. Clinical trials are underway to find better ways of reducing symptoms and side effects of current colorectal cancer treatments to improve comfort and quality of life for patients.

Looking for More About the Latest Research?

If you would like more information about the latest areas of research in colorectal cancer, explore these related items that take you outside of this guide:

The next section in this guide is Coping with Treatment. It offers some guidance on how to cope with the physical, emotional, social, and financial changes that cancer and its treatment can bring. Use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.