Know Your Biomarker: Knowing Is Worth the Wait
Last week, the Global Colon Cancer Association launched a new biomarker testing education and awareness campaign at the Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Part of GCCA's Know Your Biomarker program, Knowing Is Worth the Wait is a global campaign focused on addressing critical gaps in colorectal cancer care: the suboptimal uptake of indicated biomarker testing, and the tendency to begin treatment before receiving biomarker test results.
Patients are missing critical opportunities to receive the most effective, personalized care. A 2023 study revealed that U.S. oncologists in rural areas report ordering rates of 56-72% for 5 guideline-recommended biomarkers in metastatic colorectal cancer, KRAS, NRAS, BRAF, HER2, and microsatellite instability/mismatch repair deficiency. Additionally, a large cohort study found that more than 60% of colorectal cancer patients had no evidence of biomarker testing before first-line treatment began.
The natural inclination is to act immediately, especially in the face of the anxiety that accompanies a new diagnosis. People often believe that starting treatment right away gives the best chance of survival. This sense of urgency affects not just patients, but caregivers and healthcare providers too. However, acting without biomarker results can mean missing the chance for more effective, targeted therapies that are tailored to the biology of the tumor, or the opportunity to participate in a clinical trial. When it comes to colorectal cancer, waiting for the right information isn’t hesitation, it’s precision.
Through clear, compassionate messaging and practical tools, Knowing Is Worth the Wait helps patients understand that a short delay in treatment can lead to better, more personalized options based on their tumor biology.
Knowing Is Worth the Wait includes plain-language educational materials and infographics to empower patients to ask for biomarker testing and wait for results with confidence. Stories from patients like Troy, for whom biomarker testing prevented fatal drug toxicity, and Dan, whose biomarker testing led him to choose preventive surgery, highlight the power of acting with information, and emphasize that biomarker testing and waiting for results is not a lack of treatment, it is part of treatment.
Knowing Is Worth the Wait is made possible by support from Johnson &Johnson and Amgen.