Table 1.
Examples of biomarkers for colorectal cancer diagnosis, progression, prognosis and treatment
| Biomarker | Prognostic factor | Predictive factor | |
| BRAF mutations | Specific phenotype and metastasis; resistance to anti-EGFR mAb | Yes[6,110] | Yes[111], Potentially[6,110] |
| KRAS mutations | Heterogeneity of CRC; resistance to anti-EGFR mAb | Yes potentially[110] | Yes[6,110,111] |
| MSI | Resistance to 5-FU | Yes[6,110], No[111] | - |
| APC mutations | Poorer overall survival | Yes[66] | Yes[65] |
| Micro-RNA | Early detection of CRC, prognostic stratification and therapy-response prediction | Yes[72] | Yes[73] |
| PIK3CA mutations | Poor prognosis and particular clinico-pathological characteristics; resistance to anti-EGFR mAb | Yes[82] | Yes[110] |
| Loss of PTEN | High tendency to develop metastasis; Resistance to anti-EGFR mAb | - | Yes potentially[110,111] |
| TP53 expression | Poor prognosis | Yes potentially[110], No[111] | - |
| Loss of NDST4 | Adverse prognosis; molecular predictor of metastasis | Yes[95] | Yes[95] |
| Loss of 18qLOH | Poor prognosis | Yes[111], Potentially[110] | - |
| IGFR-1R | High levels in metastastic CRC; poor overall survival | Yes[104] | Yes[104] |