Iteration of laboratory diagnostic technologies for colorectal cancer：from early screening optimization to precise monitoring of MRD

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1673-8640.2026.04.001

Abstract

Abstract:

Colorectal cancer is a highly prevalent gastrointestinal malignancy in China. Insufficient early diagnosis and high postoperative recurrence risk represent critical bottlenecks restricting the improvement of patient prognosis. In recent years，the rapid development of non-invasive determination technologies using feces and blood samples has provided new directions and feasible approaches for the early screening，therapeutic efficacy evaluation and overall disease management of colorectal cancer. This review focuses on the advances in combined determination of fecal multi-biomarkers，new serum molecular biomarkers，matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry（MALDI-TOF MS）technology，construction of prognostic prediction models and dynamic monitoring of minimal residual disease（MRD）. It systematically summarizes the application progress of non-invasive determination in early screening，diagnosis，prognostic evaluation and recurrence monitoring of CRC，as well as the advantages of current technologies，bottlenecks in clinical application and future research prospects.

Key words: Laboratory diagnosis, Colorectal cancer, Mass spectrometry, Biomarker, Early diagnosis, Prognostic evaluation, Monitoring

CLC Number:

R446.1

WENG Wenhao. Iteration of laboratory diagnostic technologies for colorectal cancer：from early screening optimization to precise monitoring of MRD[J]. Laboratory Medicine, 2026, 41(4): 309-317.

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