About this Research Topic
Despite major efforts to stratify colorectal cancer patients, only a few prognostic and predictive biomarkers are still used in clinical practice. Inter- and intratumoral heterogeneity is one of the factors influencing strategies for biomarker identification and their implementation in clinical decisions. Recent characterization of consensus molecular subtypes has demonstrated the importance of transcriptome analysis, but the need for in-depth analysis considering other parameters has become apparent. Strategies to study and understand inter- and intratumoral heterogeneity at the tumor tissue level, focusing on gene expression, transcriptomics, and epigenetics, may improve colorectal cancer classification and lead to the identification of biomarkers of prognostic and predictive importance to complement genetics. They could lead to a better understanding of the causes of treatment failure and disease recurrence and thus to new possibilities for patient stratification. Liquid biopsy is currently an effective strategy to capture tumor heterogeneity in non-invasive monitoring of disease progression and recurrence.
Important clinical parameters such as TNM staging and infiltration of the tumor microenvironment by cells of the immune system are important parameters of patient stratification. However, up to 25% of patients with stage II CRC experience disease progression after therapy, the causes of which have not yet been adequately understood. The identification of new biomarkers based on transcriptomics and epigenomics could help in the stratification of these patients as well as in better understanding of the disease progression in later clinical stages. Exploring new epigenetic biomarkers using liquid biopsies will expand our ability to monitor tumor heterogeneity and the disease itself, including its recurrence.
This Research Topic invites authors of original as well as review articles exploring new biomarkers at the level of gene expression and transcriptional signatures, as well as at the epigenetics level, including methylation profiles and non-invasive detection of methylated DNA sequences and miRNA as potential new biomarkers for disease course, treatment and outcome/recurrence. In this respect, single-cell analyzes will certainly be highly topical. We expect a comprehensive assessment of biomarkers in well-characterized patient cohorts that represent new biomarkers in their own right or usefully complement existing patient stratification schemes. Contributions dealing with the characterization of patient-derived xenografts in relation to disease progression and treatment with a focus on transcriptomics and epigenetics are also welcome. Please note that studies must be validated to be submitted to this Research Topic.
Please note: manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of scope for this section and will not be accepted as part of this Research Topic.
Important clinical parameters such as TNM staging and infiltration of the tumor microenvironment by cells of the immune system are important parameters of patient stratification. However, up to 25% of patients with stage II CRC experience disease progression after therapy, the causes of which have not yet been adequately understood. The identification of new biomarkers based on transcriptomics and epigenomics could help in the stratification of these patients as well as in better understanding of the disease progression in later clinical stages. Exploring new epigenetic biomarkers using liquid biopsies will expand our ability to monitor tumor heterogeneity and the disease itself, including its recurrence.
This Research Topic invites authors of original as well as review articles exploring new biomarkers at the level of gene expression and transcriptional signatures, as well as at the epigenetics level, including methylation profiles and non-invasive detection of methylated DNA sequences and miRNA as potential new biomarkers for disease course, treatment and outcome/recurrence. In this respect, single-cell analyzes will certainly be highly topical. We expect a comprehensive assessment of biomarkers in well-characterized patient cohorts that represent new biomarkers in their own right or usefully complement existing patient stratification schemes. Contributions dealing with the characterization of patient-derived xenografts in relation to disease progression and treatment with a focus on transcriptomics and epigenetics are also welcome. Please note that studies must be validated to be submitted to this Research Topic.
Please note: manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of scope for this section and will not be accepted as part of this Research Topic.
Keywords: colorectal cancer, patient stratification, biomarker, transcriptomics, epigenetics, tumor heterogeneity, liquid biopsy, single cell transcriptomics, patient derived xenografts
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
