Many cancer types — breast, prostate, skin cancer — have 5-year survival rates and ample treatment options if caught early.

Colorectal cancer is not one of them.

With a 5-year survival rate of 15% once it’s spread, colorectal cancer kills around 2,600 Pennsylvania each year. In Allegheny County, around 160 people died from the disease between 2019 and 2023, per state data.

A new cancer combination therapy could provide a path forward. In a phase 3 clinical trial, the therapy showed success in reducing the risk of death by 20%. With UPMC Hillman Cancer Center involvement, it’s the first phase 3 trial to show clinically meaningful improvements in survival for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Experts say the findings are a beacon of hope for cancer patients — especially those s

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