Cited by 5,170Colorectal Cancer Treatments and StudiesGenetic factors in colorectal cancerGene expression and cancer classification

The consensus molecular subtypes of colorectal cancer

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Guinney, Justin, Dienstmann, Rodrigo, Wang, Xin, de Reyniès, Aurélien, Schlicker, Andreas, Soneson, Charlotte, Marisa, Laetitia, Roepman, Paul +32 more·2015·Nature Medicine

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a frequently lethal disease with heterogeneous outcomes and drug responses. To resolve inconsistencies among the reported gene expression-based CRC classifications and facilitate clinical translation, we formed an international consortium dedicated to large-scale data sharing and analytics across expert groups. We show marked interconnectivity between six independent classification systems coalescing into four consensus molecular subtypes (CMSs) with distinguishing features: CMS1 (microsatellite instability immune, 14%), hypermutated, microsatellite unstable and strong immune activation; CMS2 (canonical, 37%), epithelial, marked WNT and MYC signaling activation; CMS3 (metabolic, 13%), epithelial and evident metabolic dysregulation; and CMS4 (mesenchymal, 23%), prominent transforming growth factor-β activation, stromal invasion and angiogenesis. Samples with mixed features (13%) possibly represent a transition phenotype or intratumoral heterogeneity. We consider the CMS groups the most robust classification system currently available for CRC-with clear biological interpretability-and the basis for future clinical stratification and subtype-based targeted interventions.

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Crossref · 10.1038/nm.3967

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  • CRC is characterized by extensive genomic heterogeneity and several defined subtypes based on mutational patterns, including partially overlapping subsets with distinct oncogenic alterations in KRAS, PIK3CA, BRAF and selected receptor tyrosine kinases.

    “Finally, CRC is characterized by extensive genomic heterogeneity and several defined subtypes based on mutational patterns, including partially overlapping subsets with distinct oncogenic alterations in KRAS , PIK3CA, BRAF and selected receptor tyrosine kinases [29].”

    From Anti-tumor efficacy of a potent and selective non-covalent KRASG12D inhibitor (2022) · cites this paper as [29]

    Split into 2 atoms — 0 confirmed, 2 partially supported, 0 disputed, 0 misattributed, 0 unverifiable. Expand the claim to see per-atom verdicts.

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • CMS3 CRCs have the highest frequency (68%) of KRAS mutations, suggesting that this subtype may have a poorer response to KRAS inhibitors.

    “Interestingly, CMS3 CRCs also have the highest frequency (68%) of KRAS mutations [84], suggesting that this subtype may have a poorer response to KRAS inhibitors.”

    From Differential Response and Resistance to KRAS-Targeted Therapy (2025) · cites this paper as [84]

    The Results section on biological characterization says KRAS mutations are overrepresented in CMS3, supporting the comparative frequency claim. The passages in our copy do not give the stated 68% frequency; the suggestion about poorer response to KRAS inhibitors is not established by this source. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • CMS3 (metabolic, 13%) tumors are epithelial with evident metabolic deregulation and overrepresentation of KRAS mutations.

    “CMS3 (metabolic, 13%) tumors are epithelial with evident metabolic deregulation and overrepresentation of KRAS mutations.”

    From Mechanisms and Strategies to Overcome Drug Resistance in Colorectal Cancer (2025) · cites this paper as [28]

    The Results section (‘Biological characterization of the consensus molecular subtypes’; page unavailable) describes CMS3 as epithelial, reports pronounced enrichment of metabolism signatures, and says KRAS mutations are overrepresented. The eligible Results passages do not state that CMS3 accounts for 13% of tumors, so the percentage is not verified here. (LLM, conf=0.83)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • CMS2 (canonical, 37%) tumors are epithelial and have strong upregulation of Wnt and MYC signaling pathways and more frequent somatic copy number alterations (SCNA).

    “CMS2 (canonical, 37%) tumors are epithelial and have strong upregulation of Wnt and MYC signaling pathways and more frequent somatic copy number alterations (SCNA).”

    From Mechanisms and Strategies to Overcome Drug Resistance in Colorectal Cancer (2025) · cites this paper as [28]

    The Results section on biological characterization describes CMS2 as epithelial, with strong upregulation of WNT and MYC downstream targets. It also reports higher SCNA counts in CMS2–4 and more frequent oncogene copy-number gains and tumor-suppressor losses in CMS2 than in other subtypes. The 37% figure appears in the abstract, but the Results passages available here do not independently establish it. (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • CMS4 (mesenchymal, 23%) tumors have prominent TGF-β activation, stromal infiltration and angiogenesis, and more frequent SCNA.

    “CMS4 (mesenchymal, 23%) tumors have prominent TGF-β activation, stromal infiltration and angiogenesis, and more frequent SCNA.”

    From Mechanisms and Strategies to Overcome Drug Resistance in Colorectal Cancer (2025) · cites this paper as [28]

    The Results (Biological characterization of the consensus molecular subtypes; page unavailable) describe CMS4-associated TGF-β signaling, stromal infiltration, angiogenesis and mesenchymal features. They also report higher SCNA counts for CMS2–4 than for CMS1, but do not establish that CMS4 has more SCNAs than every other subtype. The Results passages available do not state the 23% figure. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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Authors
Guinney, J., Dienstmann, R., Wang, X., de Reyniès, A., Schlicker, A., Soneson, C., Marisa, L., Roepman, P., Nyamundanda, G., Angelino, P., Bot, B. M., Morris, J. S., Simon, I. M., Gerster, S., Fessler, E., De Sousa E Melo, F., Missiaglia, E., Ramay, H., Barras, D., Homicsko, K., Maru, D., Manyam, G. C., Broom, B., Boige, V., Perez-Villamil, B., Laderas, T., Salazar, R., Gray, J. W., Hanahan, D., Tabernero, J., Bernards, R., Friend, S. H., Laurent-Puig, P., Medema, J. P., Sadanandam, A., Wessels, L., Delorenzi, M., Kopetz, S., Vermeulen, L., & Tejpar, S.
Affiliations
  • Sage Bionetworks (US)
  • Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ES)
  • City University of Hong Kong (HK)
  • The Netherlands Cancer Institute (NL)
  • SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (CH)
  • Agendia (Netherlands) (NL)
  • Institute of Cancer Research (GB)
  • The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (US)
  • Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam (NL)
  • Oregon Health & Science University (US)
  • École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH)
  • Universitair Ziekenhuis Leuven (BE)
Corresponding author
  • Guinney, Justin
  • Vermeulen, Louis
  • Tejpar, Sabine
Venue
Nature Medicine
Published
2015-10-12
Volume
21
Issue
11
Pages
1350-1356
ISSN
  • 1078-8956 (ISSN-L)
  • 1546-170X
OpenAlex
W1934094702
Cited by
5,170
References
75
Citations by year
2026: 475 · 2025: 514 · 2024: 507 · 2023: 577 · 2022: 620 · 2021: 647 · 2020: 542 · 2019: 432 · 2018: 380 · 2017: 302 · 2016: 153 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 1
FWCI
122.87
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Pure Amsterdam UMC (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Dipòsit Digital de la Universitat de Barcelona (Universitat de Barcelona) (acceptedVersion)
  • RECERCAT (Consorci de Serveis Universitaris de Catalunya) (acceptedVersion)
  • SERVAL (Université de Lausanne) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
  • Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) (submittedVersion, public-domain)
  • LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • IRIS (submittedVersion)
  • Lirias (KU Leuven) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
  • LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) (submittedVersion, public-domain)
  • Utrecht University Repository (Utrecht University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) (submittedVersion)
  • Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • SERVAL (Université de Lausanne) (submittedVersion)
  • Utrecht University Repository (Utrecht University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
  • Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
  • KU Leuven (GOA/12/2106)
  • Maag Lever Darm Stichting (MLDS-CDG 14-03)
  • Vlaamse regering
  • National Institutes of Health (UL1TR000371)
  • National Cancer Institute (R01CA178744, R01CA184843, R01CA172670, U54CA149237, R01CA187238, P30CA016672)
  • National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
  • H2020 European Research Council (638193)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Colorectal Cancer Treatments and Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Genetic factors in colorectal cancer
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gene expression and cancer classification
Keywords
colorectal cancer, consensus molecular subtypes, molecular classification, gene expression signatures, microsatellite instability, hypermutated tumors, Wnt signaling, MYC signaling, metabolic dysfunction, TGF-beta, stromal invasion, angiogenesis, intratumoral heterogeneity, immune activation, patient stratification
MeSH terms
Carcinoma, Humans, Mutation, Neovascularization, Pathologic, Phenotype, Proto-Oncogene Proteins, Colorectal Neoplasms, Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic, Transforming Growth Factor beta, Genes, myc, Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras), ras Proteins, CpG Islands, DNA Methylation, Gene Expression Profiling, Consensus, Information Dissemination, Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf, Microsatellite Instability, DNA Copy Number Variations, Wnt Signaling Pathway

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