The molecular basis of chemoradiosensitivity in rectal cancer: implications for personalized therapies.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Preoperative chemoradiotherapy represents the standard treatment for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. Unfortunately, the response of individual tumors to multimodal treatment is not uniform and ranges from complete response to complete resistance. This poses a particular problem for patients with a priori resistant tumors because they may be exposed to irradiation and chemotherapy, treatment regimens that are both expensive and at times toxic, without benefit. Accordingly, there is a strong need to establish molecular biomarkers that predict the response of an individual patient's tumor to multimodal treatment and that indicate treatment-associated toxicities prior to therapy. Such biomarkers may guide clinicians in choosing the best possible treatment for

SUBMITTER: Grade M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3314820 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature