Colorectal cancer rates in South Korea are the highest in the world.<br />In a breakthrough that should improve patients' quality of life, local medical professionals are increasingly taking a precision medicine approach to this form of cancer.<br />Park Se-young has more. <br />Colorectal cancer starts in either the colon or rectum.<br />Because it does not show any symptoms in the early stages, colorectal cancer is usually detected in stages 3 or 4.<br />Surgery can dramatically reduce a patient's quality of life, so doctors are increasingly using precision medicine to personalize treatment.<br /><br />"Through imaging methods, the precision medicine approach can refine patient selection to omit those who don't need surgery."<br /><br />Around 20 percent of patients can be treated for colorectal cancer through chemo-radiation therapy.<br />The spread of precision medicine can be seen in other countries like the U.S. and Britain.<br /><br />"If you want to call it precision medicine, that is now widely practiced across the world, and I'm very pleased to see that it's also practiced in Korea."<br /><br />The success rate for treating stage 1 and 2 colorectal cancer is 90 percent.<br />Because colorectal cancer does not show any symptoms in its early stages, it's important to have regular screenings.<br />In response to a rise in younger colorectal cancer patients, the American Cancer Society has updated its guidelines and recommended that screening begins at age 45 rather than 50.<br />Park Se-young, Arirang News. <br />
