Innovations in Colorectal Cancer Detection and Diagnosis

Dear Colleagues,

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality worldwide, despite significant advances in screening and therapy. Early detection and accurate diagnosis are critical determinants of patient outcomes, directly influencing treatment selection, prognostication, and survival. Traditional screening and diagnostic approaches, such as colonoscopy, histopathologic evaluation, and conventional imaging, have substantially reduced CRC mortality, but important gaps remain, particularly in detecting early lesions, high-risk precursor lesions, and biologically aggressive tumor subtypes.

Recent years have witnessed rapid innovation across multiple domains of CRC detection and diagnosis. Advances in molecular pathology, including microsatellite instability (MSI) testing, mismatch repair (MMR) assessment, next-generation sequencing (NGS), and liquid biopsy technologies, are reshaping diagnostic algorithms and enabling precision oncology. Parallel progress in digital pathology and artificial intelligence (AI) has introduced new tools for automated polyp detection, tumor grading, biomarker quantification, and risk stratification, with the potential to improve diagnostic accuracy, efficiency, and reproducibility. In addition, novel imaging modalities, stool and blood-based biomarkers, microbiome profiling, and multi-omics integration are expanding opportunities for noninvasive and population-level screening.

This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive platform for original research, reviews, and translational studies that highlight emerging technologies, methodologies, and clinical applications in CRC detection and diagnosis. We welcome contributions spanning basic science, translational research, clinical validation, and implementation science, with an emphasis on innovations that improve early detection, refine diagnostic precision, and support personalized patient care. By bringing together multidisciplinary perspectives from pathology, gastroenterology, oncology, bioinformatics, and biomedical engineering, this collection seeks to inform current practice and shape future directions in colorectal cancer diagnostics.

Dr. Wei Xin
Guest Editor

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