Molecular markers in colorectal cancer:: genetic bases for a customised treatment

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in Western countries. CRC treatment is based on the employment of three chemotherapeutic drugs, including 5-fluorouracil, oxaliplatin and irinotecan, and the use of recently incorporated targeted agents directed to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). The approval of these biologicals and of others to come holds great promise for the improvement of patient outcome. The molecular bases for this lethal disease have been extensively investigated, laying the foundations for a rational and customised treatment approach, expanding the therapeutic index of current drugs and easing the incorporation of new molecules. Individual markers have been mainly investigated based on drug targets and metabolism. Also, the increasing availability of high-throughput technologies has prompted the opportunity for blind studies capable of screening new markers and of identifying the specific oncogenic pathways responsible for drug resistance in a given patient. An updated review of the field is presented in this article.