Advances in epigenetic biomarker research in colorectal cancer.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) causes approximately 600000 deaths annually and is the third leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Despite significant advancements in treatment options, CRC patient survival is still poor owing to a lack of effective tools for early diagnosis and a limited capacity for optimal therapeutic decision making. Since there exists a need to find new biomarkers to improve diagnosis of CRC, the research on epigenetic biomarkers for molecular diagnostics encourages the translation of this field from the bench to clinical practice. Epigenetic alterations are thought to hold great promise as tumor biomarkers. In this review, we will primarily focus on recent advances in the study of epigenetic biomarkers for colorectal cancer and discuss epigenetic biomarkers, including DNA methylation, microRNA expression and histone modification, in cancer tissue, stool, plasma, serum, cell lines and xenografts. These studies have improved the chances that epigenetic biomarkers will find a place in the clinical practices of screening, early diagnosis, prognosis, therapy choice and recurrence surveillance for CRC patients. However, these studies have typically been small in size, and evaluation at a larger scale of well-controlled randomized clinical trials is the next step that is necessary to increase the quality of epigenetic biomarkers and ensure their widespread clinical use.
Xi Wang, Ye-Ye Kuang, Xiao-Tong Hu, Biomedical Research Center, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University and Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang Province, China.
Xi
X
Wang
Xi Wang, Ye-Ye Kuang, Xiao-Tong Hu, Biomedical Research Center, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University and Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang Province, China.
Ye-Ye
YY
Kuang
Xi Wang, Ye-Ye Kuang, Xiao-Tong Hu, Biomedical Research Center, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University and Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang Province, China.
Xiao-Tong
XT
Hu
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005243:Feces; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000235:genetics; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006657:Histones; D035683:MicroRNAs
Colorectal cancer; DNA methylation; Epigenetic biomarker; Histone modification; MicroRNA biomarker