Biomarkers For Colon Cancer.

Abstract

49 This supplement is intended to focus on biomarkers for colon cancer. Biomarkers of survival in colon cancer, detection of new colon cancer biomarkers in tissues and body fluids, and new methods for the detection and elimination of micrometastases in colon cancer are included within the supplement's scope. Biomarkers in Cancer aims to provide researchers working in this complex, quickly developing field with online, open access to highly relevant scholarly articles by leading international researchers. In a field where the literature is ever-expanding, researchers increasingly need access to up-to-date, high quality scholarly articles on areas of specific contemporary interest. This supplement aims to address this by presenting high-quality articles that allow readers to distinguish the signal from the noise. The editor in chief hopes that through this effort, practitioners and researchers will be aided in finding answers to some of the most complex and pressing issues of our time. Articles should focus on biomarkers for colon cancer and may include the following topics: § § Biomarkers of survival in colon cancer § § Good prognosis indicators, micrometastases and their detection, genetic epidemiology. § § Detection of new colon cancer biomarkers—in tissues and body fluids § § miRNAs, proteomics, antibody arrays. § § New methods for the detection and elimination of micrometastases in colon cancer § § Histology (sentinel lymph nodes), fluorescence navigation (blood), RT-PCR. Supplement Aims and Scope T his supplement focuses on biomarkers for colorectal cancer, a common and often deadly cancer in the world. In an era of personalized medicine, identification as well as use of biomarkers for decision-making is crucial. Biomarkers could be of three different natures: diagnostic, predictive, and prognostic. Diagnostic biomarkers serve to determine the nature of a tumor, which could further help decision-making about the treatment to choose while prognostic biomarkers predict the survival outcomes of patients. Predictive bio-markers, on the other hand, can be used to predict response to specific treatments. An example of successful predictive biomarker is the G12D KRAS mutation in CRC. 1 It is now well established that patients with this mutation do not benefit from adjuvant therapy with the anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody named cetuximab. 1 Prognostic and diagnostic bio-markers are potentially predictive markers too, and this link remains to be examined in detail by future studies. Not surprisingly, research leading to biomarker identification is crucial. Two contributions in this supplement review and discuss the importance of biomarkers in CRC. …