Confronting Cancer as a Community

This study aims to better understand the cause of colorectal cancer and how to find the best treatment for Hispanic patients with colorectal cancer. The genetic information in the blood and tissues may explain why patients who have the same type of cancer and receive the same treatment do not always have the same results. By combining genetic (certain qualities or traits passed from parents to offspring) information with clinical data, such as the responses of different kinds of cancers to different treatments, this study could lead to more knowledge about why certain cancers occur and why they respond differently to treatments. Information gathered from this study may help researchers match treatments to the genetics of each patient and the genetic changes in their tumor. This approach is known as personalized medicine.