Dr. Kazmi on Key Treatment Considerations for Young-Onset CRC

Syed Kazmi, MD, an oncologist at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, discusses key treatment considerations for young patients with onset colorectal cancer (CRC).

One patient subgroup that requires further consideration are young patients with onset CRC, according to Kazmi. The types of mutations present in this subgroup may be different than those found in standard onset CRC, Kazmi explains.

Moreover, if a young patient is given a test, such as immunohistochemistry, that detects microsatellite stability (MSS) and immunotherapy is not an option, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test should also be given, Kazmi says. If a PCR test has already been conducted, then an immunohistochemistry test should be utilized, Kazmi explains. These tests have a discrepancy of approximately 5% to 10%, Kazmi notes. Additionally, because immunotherapy has demonstrated promising long-term durability in patients with CRC, it is worth taking this extra step to ensure a tumor is MSS, Kazmi concludes.