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Review
. 2014 Apr 14;20(14):3847-57.
doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i14.3847.

Current and future molecular diagnostics in colorectal cancer and colorectal adenoma

Andy Hin-Fung Tsang  1 , Ka-Ho Cheng  1 , Apple Siu-Ping Wong  1 , Simon Siu-Man Ng  1 , Brigette Buig-Yue Ma  1 , Charles Ming-Lok Chan  1 , Nancy Bo-Yin Tsui  1 , Lawrence Wing-Chi Chan  1 , Benjamin Yat-Ming Yung  1 , Sze-Chuen Cesar Wong  1
Affiliations
Review

Current and future molecular diagnostics in colorectal cancer and colorectal adenoma

Andy Hin-Fung Tsang et al. World J Gastroenterol. .

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent cancers in developed countries. On the other hand, CRC is also one of the most curable cancers if it is detected in early stages through regular colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy. Since CRC develops slowly from precancerous lesions, early detection can reduce both the incidence and mortality of the disease. Fecal occult blood test is a widely used non-invasive screening tool for CRC. Although fecal occult blood test is simple and cost-effective in screening CRC, there is room for improvement in terms of the accuracy of the test. Genetic dysregulations have been found to play an important role in CRC development. With better understanding of the molecular basis of CRC, there is a growing expectation on the development of diagnostic tests based on more sensitive and specific molecular markers and those tests may provide a breakthrough to the limitations of current screening tests for CRC. In this review, the molecular basis of CRC development, the characteristics and applications of different non-invasive molecular biomarkers, as well as the technologies available for the detection were discussed. This review intended to provide a summary on the current and future molecular diagnostics in CRC and its pre-malignant state, colorectal adenoma.

Keywords: Colorectal adenoma; Colorectal cancer; Fecal occult blood test; Molecular diagnostics; Non-invasive.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Adenoma-carcinoma sequence in colorectal cancer formation. This is a simplified presentation of colorectal cancer tumourigenesis. The true carcinogenesis progress of colorectal cancer is much more complicated.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Genetic instability pathways that drive colorectal cancer development.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Principle of allele-specific polymerase chain reaction. PCR: Polymerase chain reaction.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Principle of Taqman real time polymerase chain reaction. R: Reporter; Q: Quencher.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Principle of stem-loop primers. R: Reporter; Q: Quencher; PCR: Polymerase chain reaction.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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