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DNA mismatch repair and adjuvant chemotherapy in sporadic colon cancer

Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology volume 7, pages 174–177 (2010)Cite this article

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Abstract

Defective DNA mismatch repair (MMR) occurs in approximately 15% of sporadic colorectal cancers (CRCs). Multiple retrospective studies have shown that patients with MMR-deficient CRCs have a more favorable stage-adjusted prognosis compared with those who have MMR-proficient tumors. Evidence also indicates that patients with MMR-deficient colon cancers do not benefit from treatment with adjuvant 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy. Furthermore, recent studies, including a pooled analysis, have validated the prognostic and predictive impact of MMR status in patients with stage II and III colon cancer who were treated in adjuvant chemotherapy trials. Given these data, it can be recommended that MMR status be determined and used to inform clinical decision-making for adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with stage II colon cancer.

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Figure 1: Distinct molecular pathways for the development of defective DNA MMR and MSI-H in CRCs.

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  1. Division of Oncology, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Cancer Center, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, 55905, MN, USA

    Frank A. Sinicrope

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Sinicrope, F. DNA mismatch repair and adjuvant chemotherapy in sporadic colon cancer. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 7, 174–177 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrclinonc.2009.235

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