This past June Colon Cancer Alliance staff members attended the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago. Each year oncology professionals from around the world attend this conference and present the latest and greatest in cancer research and treatment. On June 21st we collaborated with two leading oncologists, Dr. Axel Grothey from the Mayo Clinic and Dr. Patrick Boland from Roswell Park Cancer Institute, to present a few of the top takeaways from this year’s annual meeting. Here is a quick “snapshot” of what the doctors shared during this webinar:
- One of the largest studied conducted in the history of colorectal research was presented at ASCO this year!
- Based on this new research to help reduce side effects of chemotherapy, it was found that low risk stage III colorectal cancer patients who underwent 3 months of FOLFOX or CAPOX after surgery experienced less severe side effects, as opposed to undergoing 6 months of adjuvant treatment, while not sacrificing efficacy of therapy for decreased toxicity.
- A research study examining the benefits of Vitamin D found that colorectal cancer patients with higher levels of Vitamin D saw a decrease in side effects such as severe diarrhea, but more research must be done to confirm these benefits.
- New research shows a benefit to incorporating tree nuts into your diet to improve outcomes during and after chemotherapy.
- Colon cancer patients who: had a healthy weight, engaged in regular physical activity, ate a healthy diet, limited alcohol intake to 2 drinks/day for men and 1 drink/day for women, had a 51% lower risk of death and 36% lower risk of recurrence compared to those who did not.
Through this webinar and others presented as part of our Conversations Webinar Series, we are committed to keeping our community in the know about all aspects of colon cancer treatment and survivorship. Don’t forget, the Colon Cancer Alliance serves as a source of information about colon health. If you have additional questions about colon cancer screening or are in need of support, please contact our free Helpline at (877) 422-2030. We’re here to help.