Colorectal Cancer Biomarkers: The Expanding Landscape
7 affiliations
- 1Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, 1 Ludwik Pasteur, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland
- 2Independent Researcher, 01-850 Warsaw, Poland
- 3Student Scientific Society, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznań, Poland
- 42nd Department of General and Oncological Surgery, Wroclaw Medical University, Borowska 213, 50-529 Wroclaw, Poland
- 5Oncology Clinic, Institute of Oncology, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Szamarzewskiego 84, 60-514 Poznań, Poland
- 6Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Wroclaw Medical University, Borowska 211A, 50-556 Wroclaw, Poland
- 7Department of Immunology and Bioelectrochemistry, State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, LT-08406 Vilnius, Lithuania
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the most common malignancies worldwide and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Recent advances in CRC molecular biology have focused on biomarkers for early detection, prognostic stratification, treatment selection, and disease monitoring. Clinically validated biomarkers, including microsatellite instability (MSI), RAS and BRAF mutations, HER2 amplification, and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), guide targeted therapy and predict treatment response. However, tumor heterogeneity, clonal evolution, and microenvironmental influences limit the predictive value of single biomarkers. Recent molecular diagnostics therefore increasingly focus on dynamic and minimally invasive approaches. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is a promising biomarker for detecting minimal residual disease, monitoring recurrence, and assessing tumor evolution in real time. Multi-omics profiling, spatial transcriptomics, and artificial intelligence further expand tumor characterization except for conventional genomic alterations. Our review integrates common CRC biomarkers with developing liquid biopsy, multi-omics, spatial transcriptomics, and artificial intelligence approaches across early detection, prognosis, treatment selection, and longitudinal monitoring. Future biomarker strategies will likely rely on integrated molecular models combined with longitudinal liquid-biopsy assessment. However, most new biomarkers remain at the investigational stage, and assay heterogeneity, limited standardization, and insufficient prospective clinical validation currently restrict their routine clinical use.
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BibTeX
@article{herbetko2026colorectal,
title = {{Colorectal Cancer Biomarkers: The Expanding Landscape}},
author = {Katarzyna Herbetko and Aleksandra Herbetko and Sara Suwała and Jakub Czarny and Julia Rudno-Rudzińska and Olga Milbrandt and Julita Kulbacka},
journal = {Cells},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/cells15211979},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/15/21/1979},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Colorectal Cancer Biomarkers: The Expanding Landscape
AU - Katarzyna Herbetko
AU - Aleksandra Herbetko
AU - Sara Suwała
AU - Jakub Czarny
AU - Julia Rudno-Rudzińska
AU - Olga Milbrandt
AU - Julita Kulbacka
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/30
JO - Cells
DO - 10.3390/cells15211979
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/15/21/1979
AB - Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the most common malignancies worldwide and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Recent advances in CRC molecular biology have focused on biomarkers for early detection, prognostic stratification, treatment selection, and disease monitoring. Clinically validated biomarkers, including microsatellite instability (MSI), RAS and BRAF mutations, HER2 amplification, and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), guide targeted therapy and predict treatment response. However, tumor heterogeneity, clonal evolution, and microenvironmental influences limit the predictive value of single biomarkers. Recent molecular diagnostics therefore increasingly focus on dynamic and minimally invasive approaches. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is a promising biomarker for detecting minimal residual disease, monitoring recurrence, and assessing tumor evolution in real time. Multi-omics profiling, spatial transcriptomics, and artificial intelligence further expand tumor characterization except for conventional genomic alterations. Our review integrates common CRC biomarkers with developing liquid biopsy, multi-omics, spatial transcriptomics, and artificial intelligence approaches across early detection, prognosis, treatment selection, and longitudinal monitoring. Future biomarker strategies will likely rely on integrated molecular models combined with longitudinal liquid-biopsy assessment. However, most new biomarkers remain at the investigational stage, and assay heterogeneity, limited standardization, and insufficient prospective clinical validation currently restrict their routine clinical use.
SN - 2073-4409
ER -