Circulating
biomarkers show promise in the management of many cancers. They have become the
novel non-invasive approach to complement the current strategies in colorectal
cancer (CRC) management. Their ability in guiding diagnosis, evaluating
response to treatment, screening and prognosis is phenomenal, especially when
it comes to their minimally invasive nature. These “liquid biopsies,” which
show potential for replacing invasive surgical biopsies, provide useful
information on the primary and metastatic disease by providing an insight into
cancer biology. Analysis of blood and body fluids for circulating tumour DNA
(ctDNA), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), circulating tumour cells (CTC), or
circulating micro RNA (miRNA) shows potential for improving CRC management.
Recognizing a predictive model to assess response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy
would help in better patient selection. This review was conducted with the aim
of outlining the use of circulatory biomarkers in current practice and their
effectiveness in the management of patients having CRC with a focus on response
to neoadjuvant therapy.
Keywords: Biomarkers, Colon cancer, Neoadjuvant therapy.
