Abstract: Colorectal cancer remains a major threat to people’s health around the world. Researchers have paid more and more attention to colorectal cancer epigenetics. From two main aspects of colorectal cancer epigenetics: DNA methylation and histone modification, this article analyzes the similarities and differences between patients with colorectal cancer in Eastern and Western countries. This review briefly introduces epigenetic modification of genes that were used to be biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Although there are some common features of colorectal cancer in the world, analysis has showed that some obvious epigenetic differences do exist in different races. For example, it had been confirmed in the studies that there are differences in specific gene methylation, histone modification sites and the degree of methylation and acetylation among countries, which provide the basis for specific diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of colorectal cancer in different ethnic groups. With improved research methods and increased sample size, more and more special molecular targets of colorectal cancer tissues will be found, and then personalized therapy for colorectal cancer can be achieved.

Key words: Colorectal neoplasms, Epigenesis, Genetics, DNA methylation