Classification of colon cancer patients into consensus molecular subtypes using support vector machines.

Background/aim: The molecular heterogeneity of colon cancer has made classification of tumors a requirement for effective treatment. One of the approaches for molecular subtyping of colon cancer patients is the consensus molecular subtypes (CMS), developed by the Colorectal Cancer Subtyping Consortium. CMS-specific RNA-Seq-dependent classification approaches are recent, with relatively low sensitivity and specificity.

A Combined ULBP2 and SEMA5A Expression Signature as a Prognostic and Predictive Biomarker for Colon Cancer.

Prognostic biomarkers for cancer have the power to change the course of disease if they add value beyond known prognostic factors, if they can help shape treatment protocols, and if they are reliable. The aim of this study was to identify such biomarkers for colon cancer and to understand the molecular mechanisms leading to prognostic stratifications based on these biomarkers. We used an in house R based script (SSAT) for the discovery of stage-independent prognostic biomarkers using two cohorts, GSE17536 and GSE17537, that include 177 and 55 colon cancer patients, respectively.

Colon cancer associated transcript-1: a novel RNA expressed in malignant and pre-malignant human tissues.

Early detection of colorectal cancer (CRC) is currently based on fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) and colonoscopy, both which can significantly reduce CRC-related mortality. However, FOBT has low-sensitivity and specificity, whereas colonoscopy is labor- and cost-intensive. Therefore, the discovery of novel biomarkers that can be used for improved CRC screening, diagnosis, staging and as targets for novel therapies is of utmost importance.