The Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) in Jalisco, through the Western Biomedical Research Center (CIBO), has initiated a study to identify genetic markers that can predict whether patients with colon and rectal cancer will respond to chemotherapy before starting treatment. The project is led by researcher Mónica Alejandra Rosales Reynoso from the Division of Molecular Medicine and aims to develop a panel of genetic variants to help select more effective therapies. "The goal is for the doctor to know from the start if the patient will metabolize drugs like 5-fluorouracil well or if they will require targeted therapies (monoclonal antibodies), to identify in time if the patient is going to respond or not, and thus improve their prognosis and survival," she emphasized. The study will analyze samples from 300 to 400 patients from the western region, which includes Jalisco, Michoacán, and Colima. Cancer can occur sporadically because these patients regularly have somatic mutations. I mean that cancer is multifactorial and polygenic. So, in addition to there being a genetic context, cancer does not originate from a mutation in a single gene. It is an additive effect of up to seven or eight mutations in different genes throughout progression, she highlighted. Likewise, she indicated that environmental factors influence the development of the disease. "You can carry a gene that gives you a predisposition, but you will not necessarily develop cancer if you do not have risk factors. The tests will be carried out through DNA analysis and real-time PCR. The objective is to avoid ineffective treatments and decrease side effects associated with chemotherapy, such as nausea, weight loss, and pain. Increase in cases in the young population According to the researcher, colon and rectal cancer was previously presented mainly in men over 50 years of age; however, there is currently an increase in young people and a similar incidence between men and women. "Actually, most cancers are sporadic in origin. They are not hereditary, they are of somatic causes that accumulate and require multiple factors, including lifestyle and sedentarism, alcohol and tobacco consumption, among others," she referred to. Importance of timely detection IMSS pointed out that early detection and medical follow-up are key factors to improve treatment efficacy. It is recommended to go for a medical evaluation in the presence of symptoms such as frequent constipation, abdominal pain, or intestinal alterations.
