In today’s episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Evelyn Y. Wong, MD, about the growing challenge of early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC) and the insights from a recent cohort analysis conducted in Singapore. Dr Wong is a consultant medical oncologist specializing in gastrointestinal cancers at the National Cancer Centre Singapore.
In our exclusive interview, Wong discussed the rationale for investigating early-onset CRC, emphasizing the rising incidence worldwide and the need to better understand whether unique molecular or survival patterns distinguish these patients from those with late-onset disease. She reviewed data from approximately 2500 patients in a consented Singaporean cohort, highlighting that molecular characteristics were largely consistent across age groups, but survival outcomes appeared more favorable in younger patients, potentially due to their ability to tolerate more intensive therapies.
Additionally, Wong underscored the importance of multicenter and international collaborations to strengthen these findings and advance prospective studies that can more precisely connect molecular features with environmental exposures and epidemiologic drivers. She also emphasized the role of increasing awareness among clinicians, researchers, pharmaceutical partners, and patient advocates to ensure that the unique needs of younger patients with CRC are addressed within the broader oncology community.