News & Resources for Oncology Data Specialists

As oncology data specialists, we collect specific factors for different cancer sites, such as MSI for colon cancer. Understanding the significance of MSI and its impact on the treatment outcome for colon cancer patients is crucial and provides insight into our data collection process.

Mismatch Repair genes play a vital role in maintaining cell stability by detecting and repairing DNA errors, a process known as mismatch repair. This process is essential for stabilizing microsatellites during DNA replication. Failure to correct these errors can result in cell instability and multiplication with incorrect DNA sequences.

Colorectal cancer cells with MSI can mutate rapidly due to defective mismatch repair genes, causing the cancer to spread and making treatment more challenging. The introduction of immunotherapy in 2010 brought a change, as MSI colorectal cancer responded well to this treatment form. Immunotherapy helps the immune system identify and eliminate cells with high MSI, which are no longer considered normal. Detecting MSI is crucial for determining the treatment for colorectal cancer patients with mismatch repair gene deficiencies in their tumors. This finding within tumor cells aid in the direction of treatment.

For more information on this subject: What is microsatellite instability?