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.