Molecular subtypes of colorectal cancer

Cancer has a character of heterogeneity, which makes it difficult to determine treatment strategy and predict prognosis. To conquer this problem, comprehensive analyses have been actively performed for gene expression, and molecular subtypes of various types of cancer have been identified by many studies. In colorectal cancer(CRC), there are known to be other subtypes than gene expression, that is, chromosome instability(CIN), microsatellite instability (MSI), and CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP). Classification of molecular subtypes by integrating these multiple biological properties would realize the effective tailor-made treatment, and improve CRC patient's prognosis. In this article, we overview the mechanisms of CRC carcinogenesis, and present the latest biological classification of subtypes in CRC.