Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, Pad 5, Bologna 40138, Italy.
Int J Mol Sci. 2013 Aug 7;14(8):16365-85. doi: 10.3390/ijms140816365.
Research conducted during the past 30 years has increased our understanding of the mechanisms involved in colorectal cancer initiation and development. The findings have demonstrated the existence of at least three pathways: chromosomal instability, microsatellite instability and CpG island methylator phenotype. Importantly, new studies have shown that inflammation and microRNAs contribute to colorectal carcinogenesis. Recent data have demonstrated that several genetic and epigenetic changes are important in determining patient prognosis and survival. Furthermore, some of these mechanisms are related to patients' response to drugs, such as aspirin, which could be used for both chemoprevention and treatment in specific settings. Thus, in the near future, we could be able to predict disease behavior based on molecular markers found on tumors, and direct the best treatment options for patients.
在过去的 30 年中，研究已经增进了我们对结直肠癌发生和发展中涉及的机制的理解。研究结果表明至少存在三种途径：染色体不稳定性、微卫星不稳定性和 CpG 岛甲基化表型。重要的是，新的研究表明炎症和 microRNAs 有助于结直肠癌的发生。最近的数据表明，一些遗传和表观遗传变化对于确定患者的预后和生存至关重要。此外，这些机制中的一些与患者对药物的反应有关，例如阿司匹林，它可以在特定情况下用于化学预防和治疗。因此，在不久的将来，我们可以根据肿瘤上发现的分子标记来预测疾病的行为，并为患者提供最佳的治疗选择。
