Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents a significant global health burden, with high incidence and mortality rates worldwide. Recent progress in research highlights the distinct clinical and molecular characteristics of colon versus rectal cancers, underscoring tumor location’s importance in treatment approaches. This article provides a comprehensive review of our current understanding of CRC epidemiology, risk factors, molecular pathogenesis, and management strategies. We also present the intricate cellular architecture of colonic crypts and their roles in intestinal homeostasis. Colorectal carcinogenesis multistep processes are also described, covering the conventional adenoma–carcinoma sequence, alternative serrated pathways, and the influential Vogelstein model, which proposes sequential APC, KRAS, and TP53 alterations as drivers. The consensus molecular CRC subtypes (CMS1-CMS4) are examined, shedding light on disease heterogeneity and personalized therapy implications.

PAX5, a member of the Paired Box (PAX) transcription factor family, is an essential factor for B-lineage identity during lymphoid differentiation. Mechanistically, PAX5 controls gene expression profiles, which are pivotal to cellular processes such as viability, proliferation, and differentiation. Given its crucial function in B-cell development, PAX5 aberrant expression also correlates with hallmark cancer processes leading to hematological and other types of cancer lesions. Despite the well-established association of PAX5 in the development, maintenance, and progression of cancer disease, the use of PAX5 as a cancer biomarker or therapeutic target has yet to be implemented. This may be partly due to the assortment of PAX5 expressed products, which layers the complexity of their function and role in various regulatory networks and biological processes. In this review, we provide an overview of the reported data describing PAX5 products, their regulation, and function in cellular processes, cellular biology, and neoplasm.

A key factor in determining the likely outcome for a patient with colorectal cancer is whether or not the tumour has metastasised to the lymph nodes—information which is also important in assessing any possibilities of lymph node resection so as to improve survival. In this review we perform a wide-range assessment of literature relating to recent developments in gene expression profiling (GEP) of the primary tumour, to determine their utility in assessing node status. A set of characteristic genes seems to be involved in the prediction of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in colorectal patients. Hence, GEP is applicable in personalised/individualised/tailored therapies and provides insights into developing novel therapeutic targets. Not only is GEP useful in prediction of LNM, but it also allows classification based on differences such as sample size, target gene expression, and examination method.