Molecular and Clinical Biomarkers in Gastrointestinal Cancer

Biomarkers are critically important in clinical oncology. In addition to providing valuable prognostic information, biomarkers assist in patient risk assessment, prediction of response to treatment, and monitoring progress of disease, all key factors in improving the individualisation and delivery of treatment. Furthermore, biomarkers provide insight into the mechanisms of cancer and identify novel targets for therapeutic agents. This thesis investigates both molecular biomarkers in gastroesophageal cancer and clinical biomarkers in colon cancer and identifies several molecular targets and clinical markers of interest.