Dr. Mizrahi on Targeting Treatment in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Jonathan Mizrahi, MD, fellow at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses efforts being made to target treatment for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

In terms of looking at targeted agents, it's important to incorporate broad-based molecular profiling to all patients upon diagnosis of mCRC, says Mizrahi. One target that is gaining in popularity in terms of treatment options is HER2. In early-phase studies, patients with HER2 amplifications have been shown to benefit greatly from HER2-targeted therapies, including drugs such as trastuzumab (Herceptin), pertuzumab (Perjeta), or antibody-drug conjugates such as ado-trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1).

There is a lot of area for exploration in patients whose tumors have HER2 amplification. Additionally, for patients with microsatellite instability—high CRC, immunotherapy is moving to the frontline setting. Failing to use this approach in the frontline treatment of this patient population would be a great disservice, concludes Mizrahi.