Van Andel Institute publishes breakthrough treatment for colorectal cancer [Video]

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A breakthrough right in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids at Van Andel Institute when it comes to treating colorectal cancer. March also happens to make colorectal cancer awareness month.

“This was a very long project,” Dr. Rochelle Tiedemann with the Van Andel Institute said.

Van Andel Institute publishes breakthrough treatment for colorectal cancer

Doctor Rochelle Tiedemann has been waiting seven years for this moment. She, along with a team of experts, found a new way to treat colorectal cancer, by combining two already FDA-approved drugs.

“We saw that there was a decrease in tumor growth,” Tiedemann said.

The treatment works in a very specific way.

“They make the tumor cell look like it’s been infected by a virus. When the tumor cell looks like it’s been infected by a virus, it can initiate the immune system to say hey we need to kill this tumor cell, something’s not right,” Tiedemann said.

Dr. Tiedemann says developing new treatments for colorectal cancer is important.

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