Dr. Shah on the Difference in Treatment of Left- and Right-Sided Tumors in CRC

Manish A. Shah, MD, director of gastrointestinal oncology, Weill Cornell Medicine/New York-Presbyterian Hospital, discusses the difference in treatment of left- and right-sided tumors in colorectal cancer (CRC).

Tumors are treated differently on the left and right side principally because the prevalence of biomarkers are different, says Shah.

Left-sided tumors tend to be more sensitive to EGFR antibody inhibitors like cetuximab (Erbitux) or panitumumab. Right-sided colon cancers tend to be BRAF-driven, says Shah, so they are less sensitive to EGFR antibody inhibitors.