Multigene Panel Testing for Patients with Early-Onset Cancer of the Colon

In a recent note, I discused some theories about why the incidence of colonic cancer is increasing in younger patients (see:Why the Increased Incidence of Colonic Cancer Among Younger Americans?). Continuing in this same vein, a recent article I came across raised the issue of multigene panel testing to reveal genetic mutations in the roughly one-third of patents with early onset colonic cancer (see:Multigene Panel Testing Reveals Mutations in One-Third of Early Onset CRC Patients). Below is an excerpt from the article:Although the overall incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) has been decreasing in the United States over the past 15 to 20 years, the incidence of early-onset CRC has been increasing....[A]n important new study...used multigene panel testing to closely examine genetic mutations among CRC patients younger than 50.The researchers found that 16 percent of these patients did test positive for one or more genetic mutations, which might have important ramifications regarding heightened cancer risk for both the patients and their relatives.....[T]his study is the first time in which researchers used multigene panel testing to look at potentially important mutations among patients with early-onset CRC....The study of early-onset CRC patients was part of a larger study which included all CRC patients in Ohio, which is being run by theOhio Colorectal Cancer Prevention Initiative (OCCPI).OCCPI is a statewide program involving 51 hospitals that screens new...
Source: Lab Soft News - Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: Tags: Clinical Lab Industry News Clinical Lab Testing Lab Industry Trends Lab Processes and Procedures Medical Research Preventive Medicine Source Type: blogs