Genetic Testing Is Important for Both Patients and Family Members

The understanding of genetic mutations, like tumors that are microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H), and the therapies that go along with them is transforming the world of colorectal cancer, according to John Marshall, M.D.

Marshall - who is chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, professor of medicine and oncology at the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University, and director of the Otto J. Ruesch Center for the Cure of Gastrointestinal Cancer — says that testing positive for MSI-H can have important treatment implications for the patient, and may signal to family members that they should be tested, too.