Understanding Sphingolipids Metabolism in Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is the fourth most frequently diagnosed cancer and one of the leading causes of cancer death around the world. Patients with locally advanced rectal cancer are treated with a combination of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. Treatment response can be quite variable—some with complete response, while others show little or no response—and pathologic response has become a significant predictor of good oncologic outcome. The knowledge of the molecular pathways in colorectal cancer is increasing. However, unfortunately, it still fails to find some more precise method to select and tailor patients to different treatment approaches and overcome treatment resistance. Recent investigations showed that sphingolipids play an essential role in cancer biology and can influence treatment response and aggressiveness. It is of utmost importance to understand sphingolipids’ metabolism in colorectal cancer and how it affects tumor biology and response to treatment.