title: Advances in the management of colorectal cancer: from biology to treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common malignant neoplasm worldwide and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths. This article reviews the epidemiology, risk factors, pathogenesis, and prognosis of CRC with special emphasis on advances in the management of CRC over the past decade.
  
  
  METHODS
  A review of the published English literature was conducted using the search engines PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, and Google Scholar. A total of 127 relevant publications were identified for further review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most CRC are sporadic and are due to genetic instability and multiple somatic mutations. Approximately 80% of cancers are diagnosed at the early stage and are curable. The pathologic stage at presentation is the most important predictor of outcome after resection of early stage cancer. Surgery is the primary treatment modality for localized CRC. Advances in (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation have reduced the disease recurrence and increased survival in high risk diseases. Although recent advancements in combination chemotherapy and target agents have increased the survival of incurable CRC, it is remarkable that only selected patients with advanced CRC can be cured with multimodality therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Over the past decade, there has seen substantial progress in our understanding of and in the management of CRC.
authors: Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, Regina, SK, Canada, shahid.ahmed@saskcancer.ca.
authors: Shahid
authors: S
authors: Ahmed
authors: Kate
authors: K
authors: Johnson
authors: Osama
authors: O
authors: Ahmed
authors: Nayyer
authors: N
authors: Iqbal
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001688:Biological Products / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products