Molecular Prognostic and Predictive Markers in Colorectal Cancer

Abstract

in English Colorectal cancer is currently one of the three major causes of cancer-related death. In order to help clinicians to treat colorectal cancer, it is necessary to introduce more effective tools that will improve not only early diagnosis, but also prediction of the most likely progression of the disease and response to chemotherapy. This thesis aims to describe the most accepted biomarkers among those proposed for use in CRC divided based on the clinical specimen that is examined (tissue, feces or blood) along with their restrictions. In relation to my research, the thesis will also focus on alternative splicing that has emerged as an important regulator and potential treatment target in CRC. Alterations in gene expression leading to colorectal carcinogenesis results in dysregulated levels of nucleic acids and proteins, which can be utilized for the identification of modern, minimally invasive molecular biomarkers. One of the alternative splicing factors are MBNL proteins. The goal of my work that will be presented here was to analyze gene expression of the MBNL family of regulators of alternative splicing in various stages of colorectal cancer development, together with the MBNL-target splicing events in FOXP1 and EPB41L3 genes and tumor-related CD44 variants. The study was done using..