The molecular characteristics of colorectal cancer: Implications for diagnosis and therapy (Review)

Abstract

Abstract. Colorectal cancer (CRC) results from the progressive accumulation of multiple genetic and epigenetic aberrations within cells. The progression from colorectal adenoma to carcinoma is caused by three major pathways: Microsatellite instability, chromosomal instability and CpG island methylator phenotype. A growing body of scientific evidences suggests that CRC is a heterogeneous disease, and genetic characteristics of the tumors determine their prognostic outcome and response to targeted therapies. Early diagnosis and effective targeted therapies based on a current knowledge of the molecular characteristics of CRC are essential to the successful treatment of CRC. Therefore, the present review summarized the current understanding of the molecular characteristics of CRC, and discussed its implications for diagnosis and targeted therapy.

Long non‑coding RNA NKILA serves as a biomarker in the early diagnosis and prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer

“…While early-stage CRC is often cured with surgery alone, more advanced or metastatic cases of CRC typically require additional adjuvant chemo-or targeted therapy, either alone or as a combined treatment (28,(30)(31)(32). Therefore, early detection of CRC is important for reducing the incidence and mortality rates of the disease (33). Currently, colonoscopy is the gold-standard diagnostic test to identify colonic pathology (34,35).…”

“…Therefore, it was hypothesized that NKILA may also function as a tumor suppressor in CRC. Due to the heterogeneity of CRC, the benefits from adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with stage II and III CRC may vary to a large extent (33). Therefore, identifying molecular prognostic markers, which are capable of identifying patients who are more likely to benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy, may improve the prognosis and assist in the selection of appropriate therapy and subsequently improve outcomes (33).…”

Мікросателітна Нестабільність При Колоректальному Раку: Частота, Клініко-Морфологічні Особливості, Роль При Виборі Терапії

“…Несмотря на внедрение скрининговых программ и значительный прогресс в ранней диагностике КРР, ежегодно от данного вида новообразований умирает около 700 000 пациентов [6]. Исследования последних десятилетий позволили совершить прорыв в понимании молекулярных механизмов развития и прогрессирования КРР, что стало основой разработки стратегии персонализированной терапии [10,15]. В ос-нове данной стратегии лежит классификация КРР на молекулярные подтипы [7].…”

The CARM1-p300-c-Myc-Max (CPCM) transcriptional complex regulates the expression of CUL4A/4B and affects the stability of CRL4 E3 ligases in colorectal cancer

“…According to the clinical data from the North American Association of Central Center Registries (NAACCR), the incidence and mortality of CRC in the United States are 0.04% and 0.016%, respectively [1,2]. In the past decades, the molecular mechanisms regarding CRC tumorigenesis have been extensively investigated and current evidence recognizes that genomic instability, genetic factors, inflammatory microenvironment, aberrant expression of tumor suppressors and oncogenes, and differentially expressed noncoding RNAs [e.g., microRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs)] are the major contributors of CRC pathogenesis [3][4][5][6]. At least three distinct pathways involved in genomic instability have been reported, and they include chromosomal instability (with an incidence of 65%-70% in sporadic colorectal cancers),…”