Dr. VanderWalde on Future Research in Rectal Cancer

Noam VanderWalde, MD, MS, associate professor of radiation oncology, West Cancer Center and Research Institute, discusses ​where future research ​efforts should focus in rectal cancer. 

Treatment personalization in terms of medical management, patient preference, and health-related quality of life, needs to be further evaluated, says VanderWalde. 

Moreover, factors that influence decision making should be assessed, VanderWalde explains.

Typically, surgical eligibility based on results from physical exams and and MRI; however, circulating tumor DNA may provide better insight ​on whether a patient should undergo surgery, VanderWalde concludes.