Identification of prognostic markers to target therapy

Pharmacogenomics and pharmacogenetics are already playing a very critical role in current therapeutic approaches in cancer. Using genetic information to guide drug prescribing has definitely become one of the most valuable tools for starting the individualized or personalized therapies.

Targeted therapy is defined as a treatment with a focused mechanism that specifically acts on a well-defined target or biological pathway. The ideal cancer target can be defined as a molecule that is crucial to the malignant phenotype and is not expressed significantly in vital organs and tissues bind to cancer cells with high affinity and create anti-tumor effects.

In colorectal cancer, two targets, the process of angiogenesis and the epidermal growth factor receptor, are exploited by the newest monoclonal antibodies and small molecules that are available for use in CRC patients.

miRNAs as new cancer players

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) constitute a highly important class of non-coding RNAs that act as key components of endogenous systems of RNA-based gene regulation. The regulatory function of miRNA and their downregulation in human cancer, suggests that ectopic expression of miRNA could be employed to suppress cancer-causing genes. miRNAs have a great diagnostic potential for human cancer and even miRNA-based cancer therapies may be on the horizon. In this proposal we focus on colorectal cancers which are one of the most common cancers.

The function of most human microRNAs in gene regulation is still not known. Thus, the analysis of individual miRNAs to determine their targets and potential role in cancer is of critical importance to furthering our understanding of cancer biology.