Colorectal cancer therapeutic antibodies

Colorectal cancer (CRC) may occur in the colon, rectum or appendix. It is the third most common form of cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the Western world. CRC is the fourth most common cancer in men and the third in women, though significant international variations in the distribution of CRC have been observed. World-wide, nearly 1.2 million new cases of CRC were diagnosed in 2007, resulting in about 630,000 deaths (8 percent of all cancer deaths). Many CRC are thought to arise from adenomatous polyps in the colon, which are usually benign, but may develop into cancer over time. Localized CRC is generally detected by colonoscopy. Therapy is usually through surgery, often followed by chemotherapy. Recently, antibody-based therapies have also been used.