Circulating Biomarkers in Predicting Pathological Response to Neoadjuvant Therapy for Colorectal Cancer

Abstract

Circulating biomarkers show promise in the management of many cancers. They have become the novel non-invasive approach to complement the current strategies in colorectal cancer (CRC) management. Their ability in guiding diagnosis, evaluating response to treatment, screening and prognosis is phenomenal, especially when it comes to their minimally invasive nature. These “liquid biopsies,” which show potential for replacing invasive surgical biopsies, provide useful information on the primary and metastatic disease by providing an insight into cancer biology. Analysis of blood and body fluids for circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), circulating tumour cells (CTC), or circulating micro RNA (miRNA) shows potential for improving CRC management. Recognizing a predictive model to assess response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy would help in better patient selection. This review was conducted with the aim of outlining the use of circulatory biomarkers in current practice and their effectiveness in the management of patients having CRC with a focus on response to neoadjuvant therapy.