Predictive and prognostic markers in gastrointestinal cancers

As the roles of specific genes and their functions in cancer etiology and progression become defined, the necessity of looking at multiple genes and their interaction becomes clearer. In gastrointestinal cancer, tumor suppressor and promoter genes, cell cycle control and angiogenic factors, repair genes, and metabolic genes have been examined as they relate to prognosis and therapeutic outcomes. To date, most correlative studies for specific molecular parameters have been done retrospectively. Methodologies, sample sizes, and definitions differ. The following analysis provides a brief review of the current state of knowledge and recent research on the most commonly studied molecular markers, and the newer areas of inquiry attempting to define how to use molecular-genetic features of individual tumors as targets for more effective therapies. Consideration is given to the design of trials employing molecular targets as outcome factors.