INTERMEDIATE BIOMARKERS IN THE COLORECTAL TUMOR PROGRESSION

Intermediate biomarkers are biological alterations in tissue which sig nal a stage of carcinogenesis between initiation and the development o f a malignant tumor. Proliferation biomarkers are those that most sati sfy the requisites for premorphological intermediate markers in the co lorectal tumor progression. Cell proliferation changes in histological ly normal intestinal mucosa are early events directly and closely asso ciated with the morphogenesis of colorectal neoplasia. The transition from the morphological stage and the latter's further progression can be reliably monitored through the use of differentiation and genomic m arkers. In particular the incidence and the degree of DNA aneuploidy a re indicators of the risk of malignant transformation in colorectal ad enomas. New ''regression-related'' biomarkers should be investigated f or the planning of measures designed to bring about the regression of premalignant lesions.