title: Molecular staging individualizing cancer management.
abstract: Although the most important prognostic and predictive marker in colorectal cancer is tumor cells in lymph nodes, approximately 30% of patients who are node-negative die from occult metastases. Molecular staging employing specific markers and sensitive detection technologies has emerged as a powerful platform to assess prognosis in node-negative colon cancer. Integrating molecular staging into algorithms that individualize patient management will require validation and the definition of relationships between occult tumor cells, prognosis, and responses to chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Experimental Therapeutics, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mejia
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hyslop
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Weinberg
authors.forename: Scott A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Waldman
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D000074261:Receptors, Enterotoxin; D050705:Receptors, Guanylate Cyclase-Coupled / Q000235:genetics*; D018000:Receptors, Peptide / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000191:economics; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018000:Receptors, Peptide; D000074261:Receptors, Enterotoxin; D050705:Receptors, Guanylate Cyclase-Coupled