Colorectal Adenomas—Genetics and Searching for New Molecular Screening Biomarkers

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a malignant disease with an incidence of over 1.8 million new cases per year worldwide. CRC outcome is closely related to the respective stage of CRC and is more favorable at less advanced stages. Detection of early colorectal adenomas is the key to survival. In spite of implemented screening programs showing efficiency in the detection of early precancerous lesions and CRC in asymptomatic patients, a significant number of patients are still diagnosed in advanced stages. Research on CRC accomplished during the last decade has improved our understanding of the etiology and development of colorectal adenomas and revealed weaknesses in the general approach to their detection and elimination. Recent studies seek to find a reliable non-invasive biomarker detectable even in the blood. New candidate biomarkers could be selected on the basis of so-called liquid biopsy, such as long non-coding RNA, microRNA, circulating cell-free DNA, circulating tumor cells, and inflammatory factors released from the adenoma into circulation. In this work, we focused on both genetic and epigenetic changes associated with the development of colorectal adenomas into colorectal carcinoma and we also discuss new possible biomarkers that are detectable even in adenomas prior to cancer development.

ΔNp73, TAp73 and Δ133p53 Extracellular Vesicle Cargo as Early Diagnosis Markers in Colorectal Cancer

“…The diagnostic performance of EVs in detecting CRC was 0.76, 0.92, and 0.9037. The role of liquid biopsy in predicting premalignant lesions remains understudied [ 13 ].…”

Prognostic and immunological roles of Fc fragment of IgG binding protein in colorectal cancer

“…CRC arises in preexisting adenomas, and death frequently occurs due to metastasis in patients with CRC ( 51 ). Therefore, the present study next determined the protein levels of FCGBP in colorectal adenoma and primary and metastatic CRC tissues by immunohistochemistry-based TMA analysis.…”

Updates on Clinical Use of Liquid Biopsy in Colorectal Cancer Screening, Diagnosis, Follow-Up, and Treatment Guidance

“…CTCs are detected by an immunomagnetic separation technology based on the combination of surface antigens with magnetic beads attached to specific antibodies. For example, an antibody against the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) is used, then the antigen-antibody complex formed is separated under the effect of a magnetic field (Cheung et al, 2018;Marrugo-Ramírez et al, 2018;Siskova et al, 2020). This technology is commercialized as a kit called CellSearch, which is the only kit presently approved by the FDA as a method of detecting CTCs in patients with metastatic colorectal, breast, or prostate cancers (Cheung et al, 2018;Vafaei et al, 2020;Wu et al, 2020).…”