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New Insights into Colorectal Cancer

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Oncology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2024) | Viewed by 5546

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy
Interests: colorectal cancer; biomarkers; inflammatory markers; diagnosis; prognosis; treatment response; omics technologies

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common tumors, and the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The management of this type of cancer is typically characterized by a multidisciplinary approach and treatment is increasingly tailored to the patient.

The cause of colorectal cancer must be found using our new knowledge of the biological aspects of the disease. Understanding the complex molecular mechanisms underlying the host immune response in CRC and the molecular classification of the tumor is critical to highlight new CRC biomarkers and guide therapeutic decisions leading to a significant impact on disease outcomes. However, even in the era of molecular medicine and targeted therapies, much remains to be found about the mechanisms that contribute to developing metastatic disease and lead to a poor prognosis. In this context, the aim of this Special Issue “New Insights into Colorectal Cancer” is to further expand our current knowledge in the field of CRC by focusing on recent research involving the molecular mechanisms underlying colorectal carcinoma, including epigenetic changes, interaction with the environment and host immune system, and analysis by omics technologies. Moreover, this Special Issue will discuss the recent discoveries in terms of diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of CRC.

Dr. Simona Deidda
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • colorectal cancer
  • biomarkers
  • inflammatory markers
  • diagnosis
  • prognosis
  • treatment response

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 2105 KiB  
Article
MicroRNA-193a-3p as a Valuable Biomarker for Discriminating between Colorectal Cancer and Colorectal Adenoma Patients
by Marija Fabijanec, Andrea Hulina-Tomašković, Mario Štefanović, Donatella Verbanac, Ivana Ćelap, Anita Somborac-Bačura, Marija Grdić Rajković, Alma Demirović, Snježana Ramić, Božo Krušlin, Lada Rumora, Andrea Čeri, Martha Koržinek, József Petrik, Neven Ljubičić, Neven Baršić and Karmela Barišić
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(15), 8156; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25158156 - 26 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1489
Abstract
Specific markers for colorectal cancer (CRC), preceded by colorectal adenoma (pre-CRC), are lacking. This study aimed to investigate whether microRNAs (miR-19a-3p, miR-92a-3p, miR-193a-3p, and miR-210-3p) from tissues and exosomes are potential CRC biomarkers and compare them to existing biomarkers, namely carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) [...] Read more.
Specific markers for colorectal cancer (CRC), preceded by colorectal adenoma (pre-CRC), are lacking. This study aimed to investigate whether microRNAs (miR-19a-3p, miR-92a-3p, miR-193a-3p, and miR-210-3p) from tissues and exosomes are potential CRC biomarkers and compare them to existing biomarkers, namely carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9. MiRNA was isolated in the samples of 52 CRC and 76 pre-CRC patients. Expression levels were analyzed by RT-qPCR. When comparing pre-CRC and CRC tissue expression levels, only miR-193a-3p showed statistically significant result (p < 0.0001). When comparing the tissues and exosomes of CRC samples, a statistically significant difference was found for miR-193a-3p (p < 0.0001), miR-19a-3p (p < 0.0001), miR-92a-3p (p = 0.0212), and miR-210-3p (p < 0.0001). A receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve and area under the ROC curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the diagnostic value of CEA, CA 19-9, and miRNAs. CEA and CA 19-9 had good diagnostic values (AUCs of 0.798 and 0.668). The diagnostic value only of miR-193a-3p was highlighted (AUC = 0.725). The final logistic regression model, in which we put a combination of CEA concentration and the miR-193a-3p expression level in tissues, showed that using these two markers can distinguish CRC and pre-CRC in 71.3% of cases (AUC = 0.823). MiR-193a-3p from tissues could be a potential CRC biomarker. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Colorectal Cancer)
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Review

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38 pages, 1611 KiB  
Review
Advances in microRNAs as Emerging Biomarkers for Colorectal Cancer Early Detection and Diagnosis
by Maša Ždralević, Andrijana Radović, Janja Raonić, Natasa Popovic, Aleksandra Klisic and Ljiljana Vučković
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(20), 11060; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252011060 - 15 Oct 2024
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3663
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, necessitating advancements in early detection and innovative treatment strategies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNAs involved in gene regulation, have emerged as crucial players in the pathogenesis of CRC. This review [...] Read more.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, necessitating advancements in early detection and innovative treatment strategies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNAs involved in gene regulation, have emerged as crucial players in the pathogenesis of CRC. This review synthesizes the latest findings on miRNA deregulated in precancerous lesions and in CRC. By examining the deregulation patterns of miRNAs across different stages of CRC development, this review highlights their potential as diagnostic tools. We specifically analyse the roles and diagnostic relevance of four miRNAs—miR-15b, miR-21, miR-31, and miR-146a—that consistently exhibit altered expression in CRC. The current knowledge of their role in key oncogenic pathways, drug resistance, and clinical relevance is discussed. Despite challenges posed by the heterogeneity of the research findings on miRNA deregulation and their role in CRC, integrating miRNA diagnostics into current screening methods holds promise for enhancing personalized medicine approaches. This review emphasizes the transformative potential of miRNAs in CRC diagnosis, paving the way for improved patient outcomes and novel therapeutic paradigms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Colorectal Cancer)
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