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Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment of Colorectal Cancer
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Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment of Colorectal Cancer

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Oncology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 February 2026 | Viewed by 1766

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Steven T. Brower

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Surgical Oncology and HPB Surgery, Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, Englewood, NJ 07631, USA
Interests: pancreatic cancer; cancer prevention; bloodless medicine
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Robert Pergolizzi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, Englewood, NJ 07631, USA
Interests: genomics; mechanisms of cancer; gene therapy; vascular biology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to focus on the complex genetic and epigenetic alterations that drive malignant transformations in colorectal cancer (CRC). Understanding these molecular pathways is crucial for diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. CIN is the most common genetic mechanism in CRC, accounting for approximately 85% of cases. It results from mutations that lead to large-scale chromosomal abnormalities, including gains, losses, and aneuploidy. The key genes involved are APC, KRAS, TP53, BRAF V600E, and SMAD4. MSI occurs due to defects in DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes, including MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2. In this Special Issue, the current understanding of the role of these genes in CRC will be discussed. Approximately 5–10% of CRC cases arise from inherited genetic mutations, mostly presenting as Lynch Syndrome (Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colorectal Cancer) and Familial Adenomatous Polyposis. Understanding these molecular pathways is crucial for diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. The emergence of targeted therapies for CRC will also be presented in this Special Issue.

Dr. Steven T. Brower
Dr. Robert Pergolizzi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

  • colorectal cancer
  • biomarkers
  • epigenetics
  • targeted therapy
  • chemoresistance
  • personalized cancer therapy

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 7649 KB  
Article
S100A14 as a Potential Biomarker of the Colorectal Serrated Neoplasia Pathway
by Pierre Adam, Catherine Salée, Florence Quesada Calvo, Arnaud Lavergne, Angela-Maria Merli, Charlotte Massot, Noëlla Blétard, Joan Somja, Dominique Baiwir, Gabriel Mazzucchelli, Carla Coimbra Marques, Philippe Delvenne, Edouard Louis and Marie-Alice Meuwis
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(15), 7401; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26157401 - 31 Jul 2025
Viewed by 416
Abstract
Accounting for 15–30% of colorectal cancer cases, the serrated pathway remains poorly characterized compared to the adenoma–carcinoma sequence. It involves sessile serrated lesions as precursors and is characterized by BRAF mutations (BRAFV600E), CpG island hypermethylation, and microsatellite instability (MSI). Using label-free [...] Read more.
Accounting for 15–30% of colorectal cancer cases, the serrated pathway remains poorly characterized compared to the adenoma–carcinoma sequence. It involves sessile serrated lesions as precursors and is characterized by BRAF mutations (BRAFV600E), CpG island hypermethylation, and microsatellite instability (MSI). Using label-free proteomics, we compared normal tissue margins from patients with diverticular disease, sessile serrated lesions, low-grade adenomas, and high-grade adenomas. We identified S100A14 as significantly overexpressed in sessile serrated lesions compared to low-grade adenomas, high-grade adenomas, and normal tissues. This overexpression was confirmed by immunohistochemical scoring in an independent cohort. Gene expression analyses of public datasets showed higher S100A14 expression in BRAFV600E-mutated and MSI-H colorectal cancers compared to microsatellite stable BRAFwt tumors. This finding was confirmed by immunohistochemical scoring in an independent colorectal cancer cohort. Furthermore, single-cell RNA sequencing analysis from the Human Colon Cancer Atlas revealed that S100A14 expression in tumor cells positively correlated with the abundance of tumoral CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, particularly the CD8+ CXCL13+ subset, known for its association with a favorable response to immunotherapy. Collectively, our results demonstrate for the first time that S100A14 is a potential biomarker of serrated neoplasia and further suggests its potential role in predicting immunotherapy responses in colorectal cancer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment of Colorectal Cancer)
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20 pages, 1227 KB  
Article
Interleukin Dynamics and Their Correlation with Tumor Aggressiveness in Colorectal Carcinoma
by Elena-Teodora Tâlvan, Liviuta Budișan, Călin Ilie Mohor, Valentin Grecu, Ioana Berindan-Neagoe, Victor Cristea, George Oprinca and Adrian Cristian
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(14), 7027; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26147027 - 21 Jul 2025
Viewed by 716
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major global health concern, with tumor progression closely influenced by inflammatory mechanisms and cytokine signaling. This study investigates the serum expression levels of interleukins IL-8, IL-17A, and IL-33 in patients with colon cancer, analyzing their association with tumor [...] Read more.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major global health concern, with tumor progression closely influenced by inflammatory mechanisms and cytokine signaling. This study investigates the serum expression levels of interleukins IL-8, IL-17A, and IL-33 in patients with colon cancer, analyzing their association with tumor grade and depth of invasion. The cohort included 42 patients stratified by tumor differentiation (G1–G3) and various invasion types. ELISA assays revealed that IL-8 levels were highest in well-differentiated tumors and in cases of submucosal and serosal invasion, suggesting a key role in early stage inflammation and angiogenesis. IL-17A and IL-33 levels declined progressively with tumor dedifferentiation and increased invasion depth, indicating immune suppression in advanced stages. Multiple regression analyses highlighted a nonlinear, significant relationship between IL-8 and IL-17A, whereas IL-33 showed no direct correlation with other interleukins. A combined model incorporating IL-8, IL-17A, IL-33, and tumor grade accounted for over 70% of IL-17A variability, underscoring their interactive role in CRC biology. These findings support the potential utility of interleukins as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for stratified CRC management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment of Colorectal Cancer)
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