Colorectal Cancer: Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment

Adenocarcinoma is the predominant malignancy found in the colon and rectum. Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in the developed world with a high incidence of mortality and morbidity. The average five-year survival rate remains poor at 55%, although the development of new drugs has improved the survival rate of colorectal cancer patients. The prognosis of colorectal cancer remains poor in spite of the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Human colorectal cancer represents a heterogeneous group of diseases, and its molecular classification is increasingly important. Characterization of novel biomarker targets may lead to prolong the survival rate of colorectal cancer. Biomarkers may have a potential role in screening, diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring disease. Mutations in the KRAS gene in ~40% of tumors have been reported to be induced by genetic and epigenetic alterations. This book, comprised of four chapters, introduces recent topics regarding colorectal cancer, and provides recent highlighted information concerning prevention, diagnosis and treatment. This book will be of interest to undergraduate and graduate students, biomedical researchers, and medical doctors focused on the fields of molecular and cellular biology, medical sciences, and clinical challenges. About the Author Masayoshi Yamaguchi, Ph.D., IOM, FAOE, DDG, DG, is Adjunct Professor, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA (2013 - ). Dr. Yamaguchi is engaged in the fields of endocrinology and cell signaling since 1971, and these researches are developed in the aspect of biochemistry, molecular biology, endocrinology, metabolism, nutrition, pharmacology, and toxicology. Dr Yamaguchi has an interesting for cell signaling mechanism, bone biology, nutritional factor and osteoporosis prevention, diabetes and diabetic osteoporosis, cancer biology, and cancer cell bone metastasis. Dr. Yamaguchi discovered two novel proteins and genes; cell signaling suppressor protein (named regucalcin; 1978) and transcriptional factor RGPR-p117 (regucalcin gene promoter region-related protein; 2001). Dr Yamaguchi generated regucalcin transgenic rats, which were registered as international patents including USA, EU and Japan, and this animal was found to induce osteoporosis and hyperlipidemia. Moreover, Dr. Yamaguchi proposed the potential role of regucalcin as a key suppressor protein in carcinogenesis. Thus far, Dr Yamaguchi published over 550 English articles to professional journals with peer-review, and registered over 20 national and international patents.