title: Incorporating traditional and emerging biomarkers in the clinical management of metastatic colorectal cancer.
abstract: The role of biomarker assessment in determining the best therapeutic options for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer has become increasingly complex and important. Biomarkers that predict the efficacy and/or toxicity of such treatments can affect medical decision making, leading to decreased harm and/or costs associated with treatment and improvements in therapeutic outcomes for patients. This review discusses traditional and emerging biomarkers of potential clinical utility for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, current assays and methods used in clinical practice, technologies that have allowed the identification of new biomarkers and key considerations for oncologists and pathologists when determining appropriate biomarker evaluations to be undertaken for their patients.
authors.affiliation: Flinders Medical Centre, Sturt Road, Bedford Park, South Australia 5042, Australia.
authors.forename: Christos S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Karapetis
authors.forename: Dipen
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maru
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Waring
authors.forename: Jeanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tie
authors.forename: Michael Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Michael
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: BRAF mutation; RAS mutation; cetuximab; colorectal cancer; panitumumab; predictive biomarker; prognostic biomarker