Predictive and prognostic factors in colorectal cancer: a personalized approach

Myutan Kulendran; John F Stebbing; Christopher G Marks; Timothy A Rockall

doi:10.3390/cancers3021622

Predictive and prognostic factors in colorectal cancer: a personalized approach

Cancers (Basel). 2011 Mar 29;3(2):1622-38. doi: 10.3390/cancers3021622.

Authors

Myutan Kulendran¹, John F Stebbing, Christopher G Marks, Timothy A Rockall

Affiliation

¹ Department of Coloproctology, Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Egerton Road, Guildford, UK. myutan@hotmail.co.uk.

Abstract

It is an exciting time for all those engaged in the treatment of colorectal cancer. The advent of new therapies presents the opportunity for a personalized approach to the patient. This approach considers the complex genetic mechanisms involved in tumorigenesis in addition to classical clinicopathological staging. The potential predictive and prognostic biomarkers which have stemmed from the study of the genetic basis of colorectal cancer and therapeutics are discussed with a focus on mismatch repair status, KRAS, BRAF, 18qLOH, CIMP and TGF-β.