Colo-rectal cancer: Role of pathologists increasing in treatment

Professor Muhammad Ilyas was addressing a seminar on colo-rectal cancer at the UHS


Our Correspondent October 23, 2014

LAHORE:


“With rapid advancement in medicine, the role of pathologists in management of patients with colo-rectal cancer has greatly expanded from traditional analysis of samples to clinical consultations with gastroenterologists, surgeons, oncologists and medical geneticists,” said University of Nottingham Professor Muhammad Ilyas on Thursday.


He was addressing a seminar on colo-rectal cancer at the University of Health Sciences (UHS).

Ilyas said pathological analysis provided histologic and molecular information useful in diagnosis, treatment and counselling.

Ilyas elaborated the significance of biomarkers and ‘six Ps’ (predisposition, pharmacogenetics, prognosis, profile, prediction and pharmacotherapeutics) in colo-rectal cancers.

He said technology had almost reached the point where whole genome sequencing should be integrated with digital pathology and liquid biopsies.

“Globally, colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer, making up about 10 per cent of all cancers,” he said.

“It is more common in developed countries where more than 65 per cent cases are found. It is less common in women than men,” he added.

Earlier, UHS Vice Chancellor Maj Gen (r) Muhammad Aslam said incidence of the disease was increasing and it was unfortunate that the prognosis remained poor for most patients. “Identification of patients at a high risk for the disease is important in selecting the appropriate treatment,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 24th, 2014.

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