The biological complexity of colorectal cancer: insights into biomarkers for early detection and personalized care

Abstract

Colorectal cancer has been ranked the third and second most prevalent of all cancers in men and women, respectively, and it represents the fourth most common cause of cancer deaths. In 2012, there were 1.4 million estimated cases of colorectal cancer worldwide, and 700,000 estimated deaths, which implies significant impact on public health, especially in economically-developed countries. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of tumors, although this has been accompanied by decreased mortality, due to more appropriate and available information, earlier diagnosis, and improvements in treatment. Colorectal cancers are characterized by great genotypic and phenotypic heterogeneity, including tumor microenvironment and interactions between healthy and cancer cells. All of these traits confer a unique peculiarity to each tumor, which can thus be considered as an individual disease. Well conducted molecular and clinical characterization of each colorectal cancer is essential with a view to the implementation of precision oncology, and thus personalized care. This last aims at standardization of therapeutic plans chosen according to the genetic background of each specific neoplasm, to increase overall survival and reduce treatment side effects. Thus, prognostic and predictive molecular biomarkers assume a critical role in the characterization of colorectal cancer and in the determination of the most appropriate therapy

Cathepsin B expression in colorectal cancer in a Middle East population: Potential value as a tumor biomarker for late disease stages

“…Recently De Rosa et al stated that there is an urgent need to define novel predictive/prognostic biomarkers that may allow surgeons and clinical oncologists to choose the appropriate therapy for various patients (6,7). …”

Promising Colorectal Cancer Biomarkers for Precision Prevention and Therapy

“…In addition, two monoclonal antibodies against the epidermal growth factor receptor (cetuximab and panitumumab) are used in combination with well-established treatment regimens [42][43][44]. Biological chemotherapy also includes the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A-targeted antibodies bevacizumab and aflibercept, which are recombinant proteins that target VEGF-A, VEGF-B and placental growth factor (PlGF) [3]. Immunotherapy results in a good response in several types of solid tumors, including CRCs.…”

“…As we discussed previously [3], the tumor-node-metastases staging, tumor budding, and immunoscore are the best means with which to classify colon cancer and they are a guide in CRC follow-up and in therapy decision-making. With the advent of immunotherapy, CRCs are also classified based on mismatch-repair-deficiency or proficiency and the level of microsatellite instability, (dMMR-MSI-H; pMMR-MSI-L).…”

“…In the era of biological personalized care, precise molecular characterization of the tumor is crucial in defining the therapeutic plan. Consequently, the identification and standardization of cancer prognostic and predictive molecular biomarkers is becoming increasingly more relevant [3,4]. Herein we provide an overview on the approved and promising molecular biomarkers currently available for CRC.…”

Microbiota, Immune System and Colorectal Cancer

“…Первоначально возник-новение КРР связывали с генетической предрасполо-женностью, однако впоследствии было доказано, что в большинстве случаев КРР возникает спорадичес-ки [1]. Сегодня критическим фактором прогрессиро-вания рака считается воспаление, поскольку многие опухоли возникают в местах инфицирования, хрони-ческого раздражения и воспаления.…”