Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world.
Although the outcome of patients with this disease is improving, many patients still fail initial therapy and the cancer returns. Recently, researchers from Japan have discovered a blood test that can help identify patients with advanced colorectal cancer that are at high risk for cancer recurrence. These patients may benefit from additional or more intensive treatments to decrease the risk of recurrence. The colon and rectum are parts of the body s digestive system and together form a long muscular tube called the large intestine. Cancers of the colon and rectum sometimes referred to together as colorectal cancer are characterized by the presence of cancerous cells in the colon and rectum.