[Genetic anomalies of colorectal cancers. Their role in guiding therapeutic indications].

Progress in detecting genetic anomalies with proven prognostic value in colorectal cancers offers a means of selecting adjuvant therapy with the best probability of success. Several methods are currently used. With flow cytometry, a significant correlation between primary tumour ploidy and hepatic metastasis has been demonstrated. Caryotypes of tumour cells provides a means of exposing segmental or total chromosome loss and subsequent classification leads to a better understanding of tumour heterogeneity. New techniques in molecular biology are used to describe mutations. Monoclonal antibodies can then be developed against the epitopes involved. Based on these different methods clinicians and fundamentalists can analyse treatment results with more precision and thus adopt the most effective treatment protocol.