Recent Advances on the Differences between Left- and Right-sided Colorectal Cancer

Abstract

Right-sided colon cancer and left-sided colorectal cancer have significant differences in epidemiology,clinical features,tumor differentiation,response to treatment,prognosis,and molecular characteristics.The former has lower prevalence than the latter and is mainly associated with female and elderly patients,with poor tumor differentiation,strong invasion,poor prognosis,and weak response to epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors.Thus,it is generally believed that the primary location of colorectal cancer is closely associated with prognosis,acting as an independent prognostic factor for therapeutic efficacy.Recent studies have revealed the genetic differences between right-sided colon cancer and left-sided colorectal cancer,providing explanations for the biological differences.This review summarizes the recent advances on the differences between left-and right-sided colorectal cancer.