Study Reveals When Colon Cancer Is Considered Cured
New research analyzing 35,000 colon cancer patients found a 6-year milestone after which recurrence risk drops below 0.5 percent, defining a practical cure.
Colon cancer patients who remain cancer-free for six years after surgery can be considered cured, according to a new study of more than 35,000 patients—potentially ending decades of uncertainty about when survivors can stop fearing recurrence.
“This helps us define a practical point at which a patient can be considered effectively ‘cured,’” Dr. Krushangi Patel, a medical oncologist at City of Hope cancer treatment center in Long Beach, California, who was not involved in the study, told The Epoch Times.
What the Study Found
The study, published in JAMA Oncology, examined data from 15 phase 3 randomized clinical trials that included more than 35,000 patients with stage 2 and stage 3 colon cancer. All the patients had surgery to remove their cancer and received adjuvant chemotherapy. The data followed patient outcomes for at least six years.
Kimberly Drake
Author
Kimberly Drake is a health journalist and newspaper columnist with a decade of experience covering health and wellness topics. Her work has appeared in Healthline, Medical News Today, and other online and print publications. She also serves as governance board vice president for two charter schools for autistic students.
