title: Predictive response biomarkers in rectal cancer neoadjuvant treatment.
abstract: Locally advanced rectal cancer (RC) treatment is a challenge, because RC has a high rate of local recurrence. To date preoperative chemoradiotherapy (pCRT) is widely accepted as standard protocol of care for middle-low RC, but complete tumour response rate ranges from 4 to 44% and 5-year local recurrence rate is 6%. Better understanding of molecular biology and carcinogenesis pathways could be used both for pre-neoplastic lesions and locally recurrence diagnosis, and for tumour response prediction to therapy. Circulating molecules, gene expression and protein signature are promising sources to biomarker discovery. Several studies have evaluated potential predictors of response and recently, cell-free Nucleic Acid levels have been associated to tumour response to neoadjuvant therapies. Alternative method is the serum or plasma proteome and peptidome analysis. It may be ideally suited for its minimal invasiveness and it can be repeated at multiple time points throughout the treatment in contrast to tissue-based methods which still remain the most reliable and specific approach. Many studies have analyzed preoperative rectal tissue prognostic factor, but data are controversial or not confirmed.
authors.affiliation: Surgical Clinic, Department of Surgical, Oncological and Gastroenterological Sciences, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Agostini
authors.affiliation: Surgical Clinic, Department of Surgical, Oncological and Gastroenterological Sciences, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Crotti
authors.affiliation: Surgical Clinic, Department of Surgical, Oncological and Gastroenterological Sciences, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bedin
authors.affiliation: Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, IRCCS National Cancer Institute, Via Franco Gallini 2, 33081 Aviano (PN), Italy.
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cecchin
authors.affiliation: Surgical Clinic, Department of Surgical, Oncological and Gastroenterological Sciences, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Isacco
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Maretto
authors.affiliation: Surgical Clinic, Department of Surgical, Oncological and Gastroenterological Sciences, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: D'Angelo
authors.affiliation: Surgical Clinic, Department of Surgical, Oncological and Gastroenterological Sciences, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pucciarelli
authors.affiliation: Surgical Clinic, Department of Surgical, Oncological and Gastroenterological Sciences, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Donato
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nitti
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D023281:Genomics / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor