Colorectal cancer genome and its implications

The iconic genetic model for colorectal cancer progression associated the genetic and epigenetic changes known at the time with well-defined pathological and histological stages of colorectal cancer from early benign lesions to metastatic cancer. The basic features of the model transcended colorectal cancer and were emulated in other cancer types. Almost 20 years later, colorectal cancers were the first cancers in which all of the protein-coding genes were sequenced, heralding the era of global identification of genetic landscapes of cancers. Recently, the whole genome in a series of colorectal cancers was sequenced, adding more information to the landscape of these common cancers. An important goal of determining the genetic landscape of cancers is to provide information that can be translated into clinical applications. This chapter will examine the genetic complexity of colorectal cancers, and the implications of this information on current and future targeted therapies, as well as in the development of diagnostics and early detection.