Colorectal Cancer and Immunohistochemistry

Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in men and women, and is the second leading over all cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Each year, the CDC reports that approximately 135,000 people are diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and over 50,000 succumb each year to the illness. The National Cancer Institute cites a decline in the mortality rate of colorectal cancer due to advanced screening and early diagnosis. Immunohistochemistry has served as the catalyst for these advancements in colorectal cancer diagnosis. This presentation covers many of the basic science, facts, and statistics of colorectal cancer, as well as the utility of immunohistochemical testing with markers such as cadherin¬17, CDX¬2, SATB2, and the mismatch repair proteins in the accurate diagnosis and survival rates of colorectal cancer.