Molecular markers of prognosis and therapeutic targets in metastatic colorectal cancer

Metastatic disease ultimately occurs in approximately 50–70% of patients presenting with colorectal cancer. In patients with advanced disease, there is significant variability in individual patient outcomes. To improve understanding of tumor behavior, markers such as KRAS and BRAF mutation status are increasingly utilized. Additionally, newer surrogates of tumor biology, such as telomerase activity and the prevalence of circulating tumor cells and circulating tumor DNA, have generated increasing interest due to clinical potential.
Source: Surgical Oncology - Category: Surgery Authors: Source Type: research