Proteogenomic biomarkers in colorectal cancers: clinical applications

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading cancers in terms of incidence and mortality, rate requiring a multidisciplinary approach. The discovery of specific CRC biomarkers has caused a paradigm shift in its clinical management.

Areas covered

The aim is to illustrate the possible clinical applications of CRC biomarkers through an updated literature review (from 2015 to 2020) based on the PubMed database. A relationship between cancer localization and genetic profile has been identified. Nowadays, the tumor markers are largely used to select patients that could really benefit from a specific type of adjuvant therapy, in order to optimize treatment programs, especially in metastatic patients. This review highlights both CRC biomarkers’ advantages and critical issues.

Expert opinion

New biomarker discoveries allow to set noninvasive tests that could increase patient’s compliance with therapy. They also permit a cost-effective early diagnosis, as well as patient-tailored treatments, improving the overall survival. The CRC biomarkers could also have a prognostic value, and usually, they are included in follow-up programs. However, despite the continuous progression of new technologies, their clinical validation is still debated. In this context, additional clinical studies are still necessary to identify, among potential markers, the most effective ones.

KEYWORDS:

• Biomarkers
• colorectal cancer
• early diagnosis
• screening
• tailored therapy

Article highlights

• CRC is one of the leading cancers in terms of incidence and mortality rate.

• Biomarkers could have diagnostic, predictive, and prognostic roles.

• The use of CRC biomarkers could be involved in screening such as non-invasive tests for early diagnosis.

• Some genetic and molecular differences have been observed between the right-sided and left-sided CRCs.

• Proteomics in CRC can be used to identify the tailored appropriate therapy, especially in metastatic CRC patients.

• Other clinical studies are necessary to validate a panel of biomarkers that could be internationally used in clinical practice.

Acknowledgments

We wish to thank Mrs. Claudia Cirillo (MA in English and Consultant for Strategic Affairs, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA) for her English language editing of our text.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article