Carcinoembryonic antigen family cell adhesion molecules (CEACAM) as colorectal cancer biomarkers

Each year, nearly one million people develop colorectal cancer, and 50% of them are expected to die because of cancer within 5 years of diagnosis. Over the last two decades, significant advances in screening, surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, and patient monitoring have improved the 5-year survival rate. Colorectal cancer is a molecularly heterogeneous disease, and the analysis of its molecular signatures and the identification of colorectal cancer biomarkers will lead to better screening approaches and personalized therapeutic plans. A biomarker is a substance that can be measured and used as an indicator of a biological and/or pathological state. In cancer pathology, biomarkers can be used to detect the disease, to predict prognosis or response to therapy, and to evaluate the efficacy of therapy thereby improving the patient’s life expectancy and quality of life. The carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is the biomarker most frequently used in colorectal cancer. It is effective in the surveillance of colorectal cancer patients and in monitoring the efficacy of therapy, whereas it is less useful in colorectal screening. Recent studies indicate that also CEA-related proteins (CEACAMs) are promising potential colorectal cancer biomarkers. CEA and CEACAM proteins play important roles in cancer pathology, and the analysis of their functions will be useful for the identification of diagnostic and/or prognostic factors and therapeutic targets in colorectal and other cancers.