Open AccessSerrated colorectal cancer: Molecular classification, prognosis, and response to chemotherapy
Author(s) -
Óscar Murcia,
Míriam Juárez,
Eva HernándezIllán,
Cecilia Egoavil,
Mar Giner-Calabuig,
María RodríguezSoler,
Rodrigo Jover
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
world journal of gastroenterology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.427
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 2219-2840
pISSN - 1007-9327
DOI - 10.3748/wjg.v22.i13.3516
Subject(s) - microsatellite instability , kras , colorectal cancer , cancer research , carcinogenesis , cancer , dna methylation , biology , gene , cpg site , chromosome instability , chemotherapy , microsatellite , genetics , gene expression , allele , chromosome
Molecular advances support the existence of an alternative pathway of colorectal carcinogenesis that is based on the hypermethylation of specific DNA regions that silences tumor suppressor genes. This alternative pathway has been called the serrated pathway due to the serrated appearance of tumors in histological analysis. New classifications for colorectal cancer (CRC) were proposed recently based on genetic profiles that show four types of molecular alterations: BRAF gene mutations, KRAS gene mutations, microsatellite instability, and hypermethylation of CpG islands. This review summarizes what is known about the serrated pathway of CRC, including CRC molecular and clinical features, prognosis, and response to chemotherapy.