title: Personalizing therapy for colorectal cancer.
abstract: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide. Several important scientific discoveries in the molecular biology of CRC have changed clinical practice in oncology. These included the comprehensive genome-wide profiling of CRC by the Cancer Genome Atlas Network, the discovery of mutations along the RAS-RAF signaling pathway as major determinants of response to antibodies against the epidermal growth factor receptor, the elucidation of new molecular subsets of CRC or gene signatures that may predict clinical outcome after adjuvant chemotherapy, and the innovative targeting of the family of vascular endothelial growth factor and receptors. These new data have allowed oncologists to individualize drug therapy on the basis of a patient's tumor's unique molecular profile, especially in the management of metastatic CRC. This review article will discuss the progress of personalized medicine in the contemporary management of CRC.
authors.affiliation: Sir Y. K. Pao Centre for Cancer, Department of Clinical Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Sir Y. K. Pao Centre for Cancer, Department of Clinical Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. Electronic address: brigette@clo.cuhk.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Brigette B Y
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D062346:Molecular Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D057285:Precision Medicine / Q000379:methods*
keywords: 5-FU; 5-fluorouracil; CI; CIMP; CRC; Colorectal Cancer; CpG island methylator phenotype; EGFR; Gene Signatures; HR; KRAS Mutation; MSI; OS; PFS; PI3K; VEGF; VEGFR; colorectal cancer; confidence interval; epidermal growth factor receptor; hazard ratio; microsatellite instability; overall survival; phosphoinositide 3-kinase; progression-free survival; vascular endothelial growth factor; vascular endothelial growth factor receptor