The physicians of USC/Norris Medical Oncology are dedicated to providing comprehensive care and advancing research in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of colorectal cancer. For some patients, chemotherapy is an important step following surgery.

For patients undergoing chemotherapy for colorectal cancer, it can sometimes feel like the treatment is worse than the disease. At USC/Norris Cancer Hospital, we understand this, which is why we can genetically tailor treatment so it may have fewer side effects.

Our medical oncologists can create a sort of genetic fingerprint of the patient's particular cancer. For example, USC/Norris scientists have found that analyzing tissue from a colorectal patient's tumor can help determine whether a patient is likely to respond to powerful chemotherapy treatment alternatives. This work in "molecular profiling" may have significant clinical implications for metastatic colon cancer patients.

Armed with genetic information, GI oncologists can better customize treatment for these individuals and direct them toward medicines that may hold a greater potential for extending their lives.