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Molecular biology of colorectal cancer in clinical practice

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Abstract

The review summarizes current data on the molecular genetic mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC) and addresses the connections between these mechanisms and biomarkers used for predictive diagnosis, risk stratification, prognosis, and predicting response to chemotherapy and tar-geted therapy. Evidence of microRNA involvement in the regulation of major signaling pathways affected by CRC pathogenesis is discussed, and signaling pathways that can be used as targets in the therapy of colorectal cancer are examined.

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Abbreviations

CIMP:

CpG island methylator phenotype

CIN:

chromosomal instability

EGFR:

epidermal growth factor receptor

KRAS:

homolog of oncogene V-Ki-ras2 from Kirsten rat sarcoma virus

MSI:

microsatellite instability

TGF-β:

transforming growth factor beta

WNT:

signaling pathway regulating embryogenesis, cell differentiation, and malignant tumor development

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rostov Research Institute of Oncology of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, Rostov-on-Don, 344037, Russia

    O. I. Kit & D. I. Vodolazhsky

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  1. O. I. Kit
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Correspondence to D. I. Vodolazhsky.

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Original Russian Text © O.I. Kit, D.I. Vodolazhsky, 2015, published in Molekulyarnaya Biologiya, 2015, Vol. 49, No. 4, pp. 531–540.

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Kit, O.I., Vodolazhsky, D.I. Molecular biology of colorectal cancer in clinical practice. Mol Biol 49, 471–479 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0026893315040081

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