27-07-2017 | Colorectal cancer | Book chapter | Article
13. Liquid Biopsy in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: A. Galvano, M. Peeters, A. B. Di Stefano, M. Castiglia, Antonio Russo, MD, PhD
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide. Oncological CRC treatment is changing gradually replacing ancient drugs with the newest targeted agents (target therapy) and immunotherapy. The correct use of these molecular agents is based on a series of genetic evaluations able to predict treatment response. The tissue evaluation of these predictors is generally fully of serious limitations among which the invasiveness of the tissue biopsy procedure and its non-informative quality compared to the entire neoplastic mass. For these reasons, liquid biopsy could represent an ideal tool to obtain easily and quickly the necessary information to decide the best therapeutic strategy as well as to acquire data to monitor occurrence of resistance or to establish the recurrence probability.