Which Types of Metastatic Cancer Respond to Aggressive Treatment?

If you have metastatic cancer that includes any type of solid tumor, we may be able to offer you treatments designed to control or eliminate your disease. This includes:

• Appendix cancer
• Colorectal cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Gastric (stomach) cancer
• Gynecologic cancer
• Head and neck cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Liver cancer
• Lung cancer
• Melanoma and other skin cancers
• Mesothelioma 
• Prostate cancer
• Soft tissue and bone cancers

For example, our cancer experts published a study that found that a subgroup of patients with colorectal cancer with liver metastasis who are identified through sophisticated genetic testing can be cured following aggressive treatment.

More Options for Some Patients with Limited Metastatic Cancer

At the UChicago Medicine Limited Metastatic Cancer Program, we can provide more promising treatments than most hospitals for patients with a state of metastatic cancer called oligometastasis. In oligometastasis, metastatic tumors have only spread to a few organs and are limited in number. For many patients with oligometastatic cancer, long-term survival may be possible with a combination of therapies including chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, radiation and surgery.

Even more promising treatments for metastatic cancer are becoming available at a rapid pace. Because physicians at UChicago Medicine are actively researching these therapies, you have access to the most advanced medical, surgical and radiation oncology treatments — before they are available elsewhere.

Biomarker Testing for Cancer Treatment

We know from our research that certain types of metastatic tumors are more likely to respond to curative treatment than others. Whenever possible, our physicians will conduct genetic testing on each of your tumors (also called biomarker testing, genomic testing or tumor subtyping) to tailor your treatment to your tumors and improve your chances of a successful outcome. Our expert pathologists offer a full range of molecular and genomic tests used to inform cancer treatment plans.