Knowing your colorectal cancer biomarkers helps your doctor choose the most effective treatment plan while avoiding treatments that may not work for you.
You had probably never even heard of biomarkers until your cancer diagnosis, but they're a very important part of treatment planning.
Colorectal cancer biomarkers can be detected and measured in your body in a number of ways. The type of biomarker test you receive will depend on what your doctor decides is right for the type and stage of cancer you have.
Biomarker testing is usually done by taking a sample of your tumor (“tissue biopsy”) or your blood (“liquid biopsy”). This can be done at your doctor’s office or during a surgery.
The sample will be sent to a certified pathology laboratory where tests are done to find any abnormalities in the DNA, RNA, hormones, or proteins made by your cancer.
Other names for biomarker testing include molecular testing, genomic testing, tumor gene testing, and mutation testing.
Many kinds of tests are used, such as
Biomarkers, short for biological markers or molecular markers, have characteristics that enable them to be measured and evaluated as an indicator of normal processes, pathogenic processes, or pharmacologic responses to a therapeutic intervention.
Biomarkers include DNA, proteins, and genetic mutations found in blood, tissue, or other body fluids.
Your biomarker profile can help you and your doctor personalize your treatment.
Biomarkers for colorectal cancer are used for diagnosis, progression, prognosis, and for treatment planning.
Colorectal cancer biomarkers can be detected and measured in your body in a number of ways. The type of biomarker test you receive will depend on what your doctor decides is right for the type and stage of cancer you have.
Biomarker testing is usually done in one of two ways:
The biopsy will be sent to a laboratory where a pathologist will run certain tests to find any abnormalities in the DNA, RNA, hormones, or proteins in the sample. The pathologist will then send a report to your doctor about the test results.
Once testing is complete, your doctor will be able to create a personalized treatment plan based on your unique biomarker traits.
Biomarker testing reveals very detailed information about your tumor. Your doctor will look at your test results to determine which specific biomarkers are present. The doctor may also see how much of the biomarker is present.
Biomarkers can also determine if your colorectal cancer has a hereditary genetic mutation or an acquired one. Only 5% of colorectal cancer cases are caused by hereditary mutations, which are called germline mutations. These genetic abnormalities are passed down from parent to offspring.
That means that 95% of colorectal cancers happen randomly due to somatic mutations (changes in body cells that you didn’t inherit). A somatic mutation means the body acquires the genetic abnormality for reasons researchers still don’t fully understand.
Biomarker testing is useful in both early and advanced (metastatic) colorectal cancer.
For patients with advanced cancer, biomarker testing is used to learn whether your cancer has any targetable characteristics. If it does, targeted therapy or immunotherapy may be a treatment option. These medicines work by targeting the specific characteristics of a tumor. The results of biomarker testing can also be used to determine whether you meet the criteria for joining certain clinical trials.
All of this information can help you and your doctor determine the most effective treatment plan for your unique tumor characteristics, while avoiding any treatment that may not work for you.
Depending on the biomarkers to be tested, testing could be done at different points during your colorectal cancer diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care.
As a colorectal cancer patient, there are some important questions to ask your doctor about biomarkers:
The Alliance and Perthera have partnered to provide personalized treatment options to patients with colorectal cancer. The Personalized Treatment Program (PTP) gives stage III and IV patients access to personalized treatment found at top cancer centers, no matter where they live.
Learn how the Colorectal Cancer Alliance is advocating for the passage of the Nancy Gardner Sewell Multi-Cancer Early Detection Act (HR 2407), a bipartisan bill that ensures immediate Medicare coverage for life-saving cancer detection tests once approved by the FDA.
The treatment option is for patients with KRASG12C-mutated locally advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) who have received prior treatment with fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin-, and irinotecan-based chemotherapy.
The Alliance’s 45+ Reasons campaign is part of the Cycles of Impact initiative launched and supported by Independence Blue Cross in 2022 to address the urgent public health issue of colorectal cancer among the Black population.