The Currently Incurable Scientist: Turning a Cold CRC Tumor Hot

[DK37]

I wanted to let everyone know that a new 2-part “The Currently Incurable Scientist” column has been posted on the Fight Colorectal Cancer Website titled: “Turning a Cold CRC Tumor Hot”.

Part 1 discusses the issue that recent immunotherapies breakthroughs have encountered in treating most (particularly MSS) CRC cases.
http://fightcolorectalcancer.org/resear ... ot-part-1/

Part 2 describes some experimental drug strategies currently in clinical trials attempting to solve this problem!
http://fightcolorectalcancer.org/resear ... ot-part-2/

I hope you find these interesting! I was very word-count limited in how much I could write, so if you have follow-up questions, PM me or put the questions in the comments below for everyone's benefit!

-DK

[lpas]

Very, very interesting. Looking forward to your next column. Thanks again for doing this!

[Ceebo]

You do such a good job of explaining complex medical information. Wish some of the trial sites were closer to Michigan!

[JENNJ]

Thank you so much for all the info. My Dad is MSS so I'm on the lookout for any therapy that may help him!
Thank you again
Katy

[jillbugs4110]

I think I may be a cold tumor person so this is very interesting I hope to get more insight on where I stand to know what may be coming down the pipe line. As always I appreciate you......you are a gift.

[Sleen]

you are a gift

Could not agree more. Thank you for sharing your smarts with us!

Celine

[Nik Colon]

Thanks DK, you are awesome

[smalltownmess]

This is awesome, thanks DK!

[Vol]

Great post. I'm a IT guy by trade, but went to school for nuclear engineering. Love Science!!! Any thoughts on the value of Stanford's Folding@home project?

Vol

[sjring]

I too enjoyed the blog posts. Although I work in the clinical trial field, I'm a finance guy so more than a bit of the technical medical jargon and almost all of the biostatistical jargon are over my head. I really appreciated the plain English explanations, and the off0-handed Star Trek reference in Part 1 didn't hurt!

[jillbugs4110]

How far out until those of us with cold tumors can be offered clinical trials unfortunately I think I may fall under this category

[Jacques]

... so if you have follow-up questions, PM me or put the questions in the comments below for everyone's benefit! -DK

Thank you for sharing your knowledge here. I noticed in your most recent post that there was a reference to "CEA-binders" and "CEA-expressing tumors". I have a couple of questions in this regard.

Frequently here we see members stating something like, "CEA is not a good marker for me", but statements like this are rarely followed by any scientific explanation.

My questions are: Why is CEA expressed in the case of some colon cancer patients, but not in the case of others? Is there a scientific explanation for this, and if so, can patients be tested at an early stage to see if they fall into the "CEA expressed" category instead of the "CEA not-expressed" category.

Do you have any thoughts on this issue?

Thank you.

[DK37]

My questions are: Why is CEA expressed in the case of some colon cancer patients, but not in the case of others? Is there a scientific explanation for this, and if so, can patients be tested at an early stage to see if they fall into the "CEA expressed" category instead of the "CEA not-expressed" category.

Do you have any thoughts on this issue?

Thank you.

Hi Jacques - To the best of my knowledge, there isn't a clear explanation why some some CRC tumors express CEA and some don't (perhaps GrouseMan knows?). In terms of testing early - I strongly advise people to get tested prior to their primary tumor resection surgery. This will give a "baseline value" and help you and your medical team know whether it is likely that CEA will be a useful blood test marker to look for recurrence. I know for the particular trials I mentioned, they require tumor tissue biopsy - which may imply that in their experience CEA expression on a tumor may not correspond to how much is seen in the blood.

Hope that partial knowledge helps a little-

-DK

[JDinNC]

Thank you so much for writing something that's so easy to understand. Even after two years, I still don't understand half the stuff folks talk about on this board. Your examples are appreciated. I look forward to reading and learning from your future blogs..

Thank you