Biomarkers and cell-based models to predict the outcome of neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer patients

• Published in: Biomarker research Vol. 9; no. 1; pp. 1 - 60
• Main Authors: Alkan, Aylin, Hofving, Tobias, Angenete, Eva, Yrlid, Ulf
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BioMed Central Ltd 28-07-2021; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Adjuvant treatment; Apoptosis; Biological markers; Biomarkers; Cancer; Cancer and Oncology; Cancer och onkologi; Cancer therapies; Cell culture; chemoradiation therapy; Chemoradiotherapy; Colon cancer; Colorectal cancer; complete response; death-ligand 1; Gene expression; growth-factor receptor; Kinases; lymph-node; Medical prognosis; Microenvironment; microsatellite instability; Mortality; Mutation; Neoadjuvant therapy; Oncology; Oncology, Experimental; Patient outcomes; Patient-derived organoids; Patient-derived xenografts; Patients; preoperative; Prognosis; Radiation therapy; ratio; Rectal cancer; Rectum; Research & Experimental Medicine; Review; tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes; Tumors
• ISSN: 2050-7771; 2050-7771
• DOI: 10.1186/s40364-021-00313-9

Rectal cancer constitutes approximately one-third of all colorectal cancers and contributes to considerable mortality globally. In contrast to colon cancer, the standard treatment for localized rectal cancer often involves neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Tumour response rates to treatment show substantial inter-patient heterogeneity, indicating a need for treatment stratification. Consequently researchers have attempted to establish new means for predicting tumour response in order to assist in treatment decisions. In this review we have summarized published findings regarding potential biomarkers to predict neoadjuvant treatment response for rectal cancer tumours. In addition, we describe cell-based models that can be utilized both for treatment prediction and for studying the complex mechanisms involved.