The molecular characteristics of colorectal cancer: Implications for diagnosis and therapy (Review)
Open accessAbstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) results from the progressive accumulation of multiple genetic and epigenetic aberrations within cells. The progression from colorectal adenoma to carcinoma is caused by three major pathways: Microsatellite instability, chromosomal instability and CpG island methylator phenotype. A growing body of scientific evidences suggests that CRC is a heterogeneous disease, and genetic characteristics of the tumors determine their prognostic outcome and response to targeted therapies. Early diagnosis and effective targeted therapies based on a current knowledge of the molecular characteristics of CRC are essential to the successful treatment of CRC. Therefore, the present review summarized the current understanding of the molecular characteristics of CRC, and discussed its implications for diagnosis and targeted therapy.
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Instability of chromosomes 12, 17, 18q and 20q all pertained to increased oncogenic activity in cells.
“Interestingly, instability of chromosomes 12,17,18q and 20q all pertained to increased oncogenic activity in cells28–31”
From Examining iPSC derived motor neuron variability and genome stability monitoring as a solution (2025) · cites this paper as [31]
The CIN pathway section reports gains involving 12q and 20q and losses involving 17p and 18q in colorectal cancer, linking chromosomal changes generally to growth and survival advantages. It also reports gains of chromosomes 12 and 17 and loss of 18q in human embryonic stem-cell lines, but identifies a survival advantage specifically for 20q amplification. It does not establish that instability at all four listed locations increases oncogenic activity in cells. (LLM, conf=0.87)
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Hossain, M. S., Karuniawati, H., Jairoun, A. A., Urbi, Z., Ooi, D. J., John, A., Lim, Y. C., Kibria, K. M. K., Mohiuddin, A. K. M., Ming, L. C., et al. (2022) · Cancers · doi:10.3390/cancers14071732 · Cited by 920 · see citing works
Colon and rectal cancer: An emergent public health problem
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Examining iPSC derived motor neuron variability and genome stability monitoring as a solution
Gaffey, F., McCoull, D., Vaitone, E., Hedges, E., Lovejoy, C., Yao, Z., Wright, P. D., Mead, R. J., & Stebbeds, W. (2025) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-025-23378-0 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
- Authors
- Nguyen, H., & Duong, H.
- Affiliations
- Center for Molecular Biology, Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, Danang 550000, Vietnam
- Vinmec Research Institute of Stem Cell and Gene Technology (VN)
- ORCID
- Duong, Hong‑Quan
- Venue
- Oncology Letters
- Publisher
- Spandidos Publications
- Published
- 2018-05-09
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 9-18
- ISSN
- 1792-1074 (ISSN-L)
- 1792-1082
- PMC
- PMC6006272
- OpenAlex
- W2803068508
- Cited by
- 244
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 30 · 2023: 36 · 2022: 40 · 2021: 54 · 2020: 43 · 2019: 13
- FWCI
- 2.91
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- diamond
- doi.org
- Locations
- Oncology Letters (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (106-YS.01-2015.12)
- Trường Đại học Duy Tân
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Colorectal Cancer Treatments and Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Genetic factors in colorectal cancer
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Colorectal Cancer Surgical Treatments
- Keywords
- colorectal cancer, molecular properties, microsatellite instability, chromosomal instability, CpG island methylator phenotype, tumor heterogeneity, adenoma-carcinoma sequence, epigenetic aberrations, genetic alterations, early diagnosis, targeted therapy, prognosis
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