Dormancy in Colorectal Carcinoma: Detection and Therapeutic Potential

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is not only the third most common cancer worldwide, with 1.1 million new cases per year; it is also the second leading cause of cancer death. However, mortality has decreased since 2012 due to early detection programs and better therapeutic approaches. While many patients are diagnosed at an early stage, there is up to 50% relapse after optimal initial treatment. Therefore, it is crucial to explore the mechanism underlying the development of recurrences and metastasis. It is known that tumors release dormant cells that escape chemotherapy and nest in a target organ without proliferating. Under certain circumstances that are not yet entirely clear, they can be activated and metastasize. Therefore, the objective of this work is to explore the detailed mechanisms of dormancy, including early detection of recurrence and therapeutic approaches for the treatment of CRC. The specific objectives are to determine biomarkers that may be useful in identifying dormant cells to detect minimal residual disease (MRD) after surgery and predicting disease progression, as well as evaluating biomarkers that are susceptible to therapeutic intervention.