The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the immunotherapy drug atezolizumab in combination with chemotherapy for some patients with stage 3 colon cancer following surgery. The treatment is for patients whose tumors have deficient DNA mismatch repair, or dMMR.

Texas Oncology celebrated the grand opening of its McAllen West clinic Sept. 29, expanding cancer treatment, diagnostic, and research capabilities in the Rio Grande Valley as the organization continues its presence in the region, spanning more than 40 years.

A large prospective study published in Nature Medicine found that a blood test designed to detect multiple cancers identified cancer signals across 17 broad cancer types, such as ovarian, lung, breast and colorectal cancers, and many which do not have recommended screening tests.

The significance of DHR Health Transplant Institute’s latest recognition extends far beyond a hospital ranking. It raises a larger question for South Texas: Has the Rio Grande Valley reached the point where patients can look to the region not only for local healthcare, but for nationally competitive transplant medicine?