Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequent malignancies and is also the third major cause of cancer-related death in Taiwan, with over 11,000 new cases of CRC were diagnosed and more than 4,400 Taiwanese died from CRC in 2008 (Department of Health). CRC is regarded as the accumulation of acquired genetic and epigenetic changes causing disorders in cell growth, differentiation and apoptosis resulting in transformation of normal colonic epithelium to colon adenocarcinoma.

Recent basic and clinical research on the circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in CRC patients takes potential diagnostics, prognosis, and applications into consideration, especially the molecular detection of CTCs in peripheral blood. Moreover, identification of therapeutic targets on CTCs and real-time monitoring of CTCs in cancer patients undergoing systemic therapy are the most important future clinical applications. The investigators divide the current project into three dimensions to include all the biomarkers related to diagnostic, prognostic and predictive roles for the potential clinical implication. Sub-project 1: prognostic validation and economic evaluation of biochips/biomarkers. Sub-project 2: evaluation of biomarkers for tailored therapy. Sub-project 3: identification and validation of novel biomarkers for early detection. After accomplishment of three sub-projects, a comprehensive network including early diagnostic, prognostic and predictive biomarkers/biochips for high-risk screening, postoperative surveillance, therapeutic strategies of CRC patients will be formed.