Recent advances in personalized colorectal cancer research

Colorectal cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers and a leading cause of cancer-related death. It is also curable if detected early. The prognosis for metastatic colorectal cancer remains poor and resistance to chemotherapy is still a major obstacle in effective treatment. While many patients do not clinically benefit from chemotherapy, others experience adverse reactions resulting in dose modifications or treatment withdrawal, thereby reducing treatment efficacy. Research efforts attempt to identify reliable biomarkers which will guide clinicians in decision making, while matching suitable therapeutic regimens. We here review currently known molecular biomarkers used for the personalized treatment of colorectal cancer. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.