Education can be empowering for colorectal cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers. Learn what you need to know to ask the right questions — and make informed decisions about your medical care.

Get started with one of CTU’s Learning Centers:

• CRC 101 for Newly Diagnosed Patients: After a colorectal cancer diagnosis, you’ll find yourself in an environment with lots of new vocabulary (MSS vs. MSI? Cancer stage vs tumor grade?) Get up to speed with this learning center that breaks down the essential information every colorectal patient needs to know early in diagnosis — including a list of questions to consider and a helpful glossary of colorectal cancer terminology.
• Diagnostic and Surveillance Testing: Colorectal cancer patients should receive diagnostic testing that determines the best treatment options for their particular cancer–and patients both in- and post-treatment need to know the best way to monitor their disease. In this learning center, you’ll learn about biomarkers, CtDNA/liquid biopsies, and tumor testing to help you make informed decisions about your care.
• Clinical Trial Basics: Whether or not you are currently considering a clinical trial, learning about the process now and staying aware of trial options can be useful in the future. Dr. Tom Marsilje, a cancer researcher and founder of COLONTOWN’s clinical trial neighborhoods, called this “getting your planes on the runway.” This learning center brings you up to speed on the ins and outs of colorectal cancer clinical trials – no MD required!
• Precision Medicine: Developments in colorectal cancer research have led to treatment options that can target the specific characteristics of your individual tumor characteristics. In the Precision Medicine learning center, you’ll learn about how advanced biomarker testing can be used to choose effective treatments, as well as about platforms designed to match your medical information to those treatments.
• The Lecture Hall: Learn directly from top colorectal cancer oncologists and researchers! In The Lecture Hall, you’ll find dozens of Doc Talks on a variety of topics like colon and rectal cancer treatments, clinical trials, immunotherapy, BRAF mutations, and liver metastases. You can even learn about the latest research presented at oncology conferences, all presented to be understood by patients and caregivers.

Ready to start learning? COLONTOWN University is free and open to the public. Enroll now!