Colorectal Cancer : Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment

Adenocarcinoma is the predominant malignancy found in the colon and rectum. Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in the developed world with a high incidence of mortality and morbidity. The average five-year survival rate remains poor at 55%, although the development of new drugs has improved the survival rate of colorectal cancer patients. The prognosis of colorectal cancer remains poor in spite of the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Human colorectal cancer represents a heterogeneous group of diseases, and its molecular classification is increasingly important. Characterization of novel biomarker targets may lead to prolong the survival rate of colorectal cancer. Biomarkers may have a potential role in screening, diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring disease. Mutations in the KRAS gene in ~40% of tumors have been reported to be induced by genetic and epigenetic alterations. This book, comprised of four chapters, introduces recent topics regarding colorectal cancer, and provides recent highlighted information concerning prevention, diagnosis and treatment. This book will be of interest to undergraduate and graduate students, biomedical researchers, and medical doctors focused on the fields of molecular and cellular biology, medical sciences, and clinical challenges.