Dr. Kazmi on Tailoring Treatment to Various Subtypes of CRC

Syed Kazmi, MD, an oncologist at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, discusses the importance of tailoring treatment to different subtypes of colorectal cancer (CRC).

CRC is no longer considered a homogeneous disease, says Kazmi. Instead, the disease is characterized by alterations in BRAF, HER2, NTRK, and others, Kazmi explains. Moreover, the various subtypes require tailored treatment approaches, Kazmi adds.

For example, patients with microsatellite instability–high CRC are treated with immunotherapy in the first- or later-line settings, Kazmi says. Although molecular profiling information should be available for all patients with newly diagnosed stage IV CRC, it is even more critical to understand the molecular subtype of patients who progress on frontline therapy, concludes Kazmi.