Abstract
Gastrointestinal cancers remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. While increasing therapeutic options have improved outcomes for many patients, they have also complicated treatment decision-making. Unfortunately, most patients with advanced gastrointestinal malignancies die from their disease. Prognostic and predictive markers could improve treatment significantly by identifying patients who may or may not require a given therapy, and determining those most likely to benefit from a therapy. Candidates for such markers include blood antigens and circulating tumor cells, tumor enzyme and gene expression, and pharmacodynamic endpoints. In this review, we summarize reported and ongoing research to define and validate prognostic and predictive markers in gastrointestinal malignancies, with an emphasis on colorectal cancer and brief overview of pancreatic and neuroendocrine tumors.
MeSH terms
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Biomarkers, Tumor* / blood
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Biomarkers, Tumor* / genetics
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Biomarkers, Tumor* / metabolism
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Carcinoembryonic Antigen / blood
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DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
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Endonucleases / metabolism
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ErbB Receptors / metabolism
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Gastrointestinal Neoplasms* / blood
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Gastrointestinal Neoplasms* / genetics
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Gastrointestinal Neoplasms* / metabolism
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Gene Expression Profiling
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Guanylate Cyclase / analysis
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Humans
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Lactate Dehydrogenases / blood
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Loss of Heterozygosity
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Microsatellite Instability
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Neoplastic Cells, Circulating
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Predictive Value of Tests
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Prognosis
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Receptors, Enterotoxin
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Receptors, Guanylate Cyclase-Coupled
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Receptors, Peptide / analysis
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Thymidine Phosphorylase / metabolism
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Thymidylate Synthase / metabolism
Substances
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Biomarkers, Tumor
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Carcinoembryonic Antigen
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DNA-Binding Proteins
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Receptors, Peptide
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Lactate Dehydrogenases
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Thymidylate Synthase
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Thymidine Phosphorylase
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ErbB Receptors
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ERCC1 protein, human
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Endonucleases
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Guanylate Cyclase
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Receptors, Enterotoxin
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Receptors, Guanylate Cyclase-Coupled