PURPOSE: Associations between inflammation and carcinogenesis have been reported for many years, as originally postulated by Virchow in his studies, but the results from prospective cohort studies remain controversial. We evaluated the role of calprotectin as a biomarker for colorectal cancer (CRC). METHODS: The MEDLINE/PubMed database was thoroughly searched using the keywords: "inflammation", "colorectal cancer, "calprotectin", "carcinogenesis" and/or "biomarkers". We focused on human and animal (rodent) studies of CRC and the role of calprotectin as a new biomarker and its potential value to the diagnosis, follow-up and CRC prognosis. RESULTS: According to the literature, calprotectin seems to be a reliable sensitive marker in the diagnosis and postoperative evaluation of CRC patients at the cost of low specificity and no correlation with the progress and stage of disease. CONCLUSIONS: Calprotectin stands for a novel but well-evaluated biomarker in CRC. The experimental studies focus on the CRC microenvironment and suggest that malignant cells and tissues overexpress S100A8 and S100A9 and the heterodimer S100A8/A9.
PURPOSE: Associations between inflammation and carcinogenesis have been reported for many years, as originally postulated by Virchow in his studies, but the results from prospective cohort studies remain controversial. We evaluated the role of calprotectin as a biomarker for colorectal cancer (CRC). METHODS: The MEDLINE/PubMed database was thoroughly searched using the keywords: "inflammation", "colorectal cancer, "calprotectin", "carcinogenesis" and/or "biomarkers". We focused on human and animal (rodent) studies of CRC and the role of calprotectin as a new biomarker and its potential value to the diagnosis, follow-up and CRC prognosis. RESULTS: According to the literature, calprotectin seems to be a reliable sensitive marker in the diagnosis and postoperative evaluation of CRC patients at the cost of low specificity and no correlation with the progress and stage of disease. CONCLUSIONS: Calprotectin stands for a novel but well-evaluated biomarker in CRC. The experimental studies focus on the CRC microenvironment and suggest that malignant cells and tissues overexpress S100A8 and S100A9 and the heterodimer S100A8/A9.