CancerWorld shared a post on X:
“Laura van ‘t Veer Once Said: A Nostalgic Throwback to 2006
In May–June 2006, Laura van ’t Veer, molecular pathologist and co-founder of Agendia, graced the cover of CancerWorld with a bold prediction:
‘Colorectal cancer will be the next tumour type to benefit from this type of profiling.’
At the time, Dr. van ’t Veer had just revolutionised breast cancer care with Mamma Print, the first FDA-approved genomic test to guide treatment decisions and spare thousands of women UNNECESSARY chemotherapy. She foresaw the same genomic breakthroughs extending to colorectal cancer.
Today, nearly 20 years later, her vision is partly fulfilled. While colorectal cancer patients now routinely benefit from precision oncology, with tests for RAS, BRAF, MSI, HER2, and multigene panels guiding treatment, the field advanced differently than expected. Instead of a single ‘signature’ test like Mamma Print, care has relied more on targeted mutation testing and immunotherapy biomarkers.
The promise remains still unfolding: genomic profiling is transforming colorectal cancer, but equitable access and broad adoption remain challenges worldwide.
Read the full May–June 2006 issue of CancerWorld here.”
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