Introduction

Oncotarget Volume 11, Issue 8 reported Independent validation cohorts of 599 cases of early-stage CRC and 91 cases of late-stage CRC were examined. Multivariate and univariate survival analyses revealed that high expression of P4HA1 protein was an independent poor prognostic marker for patients with early-stage CRC, especially of the microsatellite stable subtype. Dr. Michael H. Roehrl from the Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center as well as the Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center said, "Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent malignant tumors and the third leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide." However, molecular biomarkers with more precise prognostic value, preferably with an underlying functional pathophysiologic rationale, are needed, as such markers would enable the scientists to better stratify risk of recurrence in resected early-stage CRC after resection and more accurately select patients for adjuvant therapy, while avoiding overtreatment in low-risk early-stage CRC. Proteomics with latest-generation liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry can detect 5,000 - 10,000 proteins in one shotgun sequencing event, and such powerful and sensitive technology may enable the researchers to discover prognostic protein biomarkers for early-stage CRC that previous genomic and transcriptomic analyses would have missed. Combining results from 712 patients, their study shows that collagen prolyl 4-hydroxylase alpha 1 protein expression robustly risk-stratifies early-stage CRC. The discovery of P4HA1 outcome stratification in early-stage CRC and, in particular, its MSS subtype, may provide an avenue for early-stage CRC risk prognosis and thus improve cancer treatment outcomes by tailoring follow-up frequency and adjuvant therapy intensity. The Roehrl Research Team concluded, in their Oncotarget Research Paper, that early-stage CRC presents frequent challenges in clinical patient management in that it is currently impossible to predict which patients will have aggressive disease and thus benefit the most from intensive adjuvant chemotherapy vs. those patients who will have less aggressive disease and benefit from surgery alone. Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.27491 Full text - https://www.oncotarget.com/article/27491/text/ Correspondence to - Michael H. Roehrl - roehrlm@mskcc.org Keywords - P4HA1, colorectal cancer, biomarker, prognosis, pathology About Oncotarget Oncotarget is a peer-reviewed, open access biomedical journal covering research on all aspects of oncology. To learn more about Oncotarget, please visit https://www.oncotarget.com or connect with: SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/oncotarget Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Oncotarget/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/oncotarget LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/oncotarget Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/oncotarget/ Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/user/Oncotarget/ Oncotarget is published by Impact Journals, LLC please visit https://www.impactjournals.com/ or connect with @ImpactJrnls Media Contact MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM 18009220957x105 Copyright © 2021 Impact Journals, LLC Impact Journals is a registered trademark of Impact Journals, LLC