title: Colorectal Cancer: Genetics is Changing Everything.
abstract: Cancer is fundamentally a genetic disease caused by mutational or epigenetic alterations in DNA. There has been a remarkable expansion of the molecular understanding of colonic carcinogenesis in the last 30 years and that understanding is changing many aspects of colorectal cancer care. It is becoming increasingly clear that there are genetic subsets of colorectal cancer that have different risk factors, prognosis, and response to treatment. This article provides a general update on colorectal cancer and highlights the ways that genetics is changing clinical care.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, School of Medicine, 12631 E. 17th Avenue, MS B-158, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
authors.forename: Joshua C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Obuch
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado, School of Medicine, 12631 E. 17th Avenue, MS B-158, Aurora, CO 80045, USA. Electronic address: dennis.ahnen@ucdenver.edu.
authors.forename: Dennis J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Ahnen
mesh_terms: D025601:Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein / Q000235:genetics; D000359:Aftercare; D043171:Chromosomal Instability / Q000235:genetics*; D003113:Colonoscopy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy; D003123:Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy; D018899:CpG Islands; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000235:genetics*; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D006801:Humans; D053842:Microsatellite Instability; D009154:Mutation; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / Q000235:genetics; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C555337:APC protein, human; D025601:Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein; C117307:KRAS protein, human; C482119:BRAF protein, human; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)
keywords: Colorectal cancer; Genetics; Prevention; Review; Screening; Survivorship; Treatments