Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide, and in many parts of the western world, it is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths.

This book covers colon cancer metastasis from the most fundamental aspects to clinical practice. Major topics include physiopathology, genetic and epigenetic controls, cancer initiating cells, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, growth factors and signalling, cell adhesion, natures of liver metastasis, angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, inflammatory response, prognostic markers, sentinel node and staging, and finally diagnosis and treatment.

Each chapter has been contributed by leaders in the field. A key feature is that it connects with a large readership including students, fundamentalists and clinicians. Another specific feature of the book is that the chapters are written in a didactic and illustrative fashion. These characteristics coupled with the choice of the topics and authors, makes this book a reference in the field. It represents an essential acquisition for medical libraries, clinicians as well as medical and graduate students.

Introduction; N. Beauchemin, J. Huot
1. The Metastatic Process: an Overview; N.Porquet, S. Guot, J. Huot
1.1 Models of metastasis
- 1.1.1 The progression model
- 1.1.2 The transient compartment model
- 1.1.3 The early oncogenesis model
- 1.1.4 The fusion model
- 1.1.5 The gene transfer models
- 1.1.6 The genetic predisposition model
1.2 Metastatic steps
- 1.2.1 Development of the primary colorectal cancer
- 1.2.1.1 Initiation of the primary neoplasm
- 1.2.1.2 Influence of stromal cells
- 1.2.1.3 Influence of the extracellular matrix
- 1.2.1.4 Epithelial-Mesenchymal transition
- 1.2.1.5 Angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis
- 1.2.2 Intravasation
- 1.2.3 Circulation of cancer cells
- 1.2.4 Extravasation
- 1.2.4.1 The adhesion on endothelial cells and the homing concept of metastasis
- 1.2.4.2 The passage across the endothelium
1.2.5 Colonization of the secondary sites
1.3 Concluding Remarks
References
2. Physiopathology of Colorectal Metastasis; C. Ferrario, M. Basik
2.1 Mechanisms of metastatic spread
- 2.1.1 Circulatory spread
- 2.1.1.1 Lymphatic spread
- 2.1.1.2 Hematogenous spread
- 2.1.2 Local spread
- 2.1.3 Tumour dormancy
2.2 Sites of metastasis and consequences of spread
- 2.2.1 Liver
- 2.2.1.1 Steps in liver invasion
- 2.2.1.2 Development of liver failure
- 2.2.2 Lungs
- 2.2.3 Peritoneum
- 2.2.4 Bone and bone marrow
- 2.2.5 Brain metastasis
2.3 factors contributing to metastatic spread
- 2.3.1 Tumour factors
- 2.3.1.1 Tissue Factor
- 2.3.1.2 EGFR
- 2.3.2 Host factors
- 2.3.2.1 Immunity
- 2.3.2.2 Diet, exercise and liver disease
- 2.3.3 Iatrogenic factors
2.4 Conclusion
References
3. The Genetic of Colorectal Cancer; A.M. Kaz, W.M. Grady
3.1 Introduction
3.2 The Adenoma-to-Carcinoma Sequence
3.3 Genomic Instability
- 3.3.1 Overview
- 3.3.2 Chromosome Instability
- 3.3.3 DNA Mismatch Repair Inactivation and Microsatellite Instability
- 3.3.4 Base Excision Repair Defects/MYH
3.4 Common Deregulated Signalling Pathways
- 3.4.1 Wingless/Wnt Signalling Pathway
- 3.4.1.1 APC
- 3.4.1.2 B-Catenin (CTNNB1)
- 3.4.2 KRAS, BRAF and RAS-RAF-MAPK Signalling Pathway
- 3.4.2.1 K-RAS
- 3.4.2.2 BRAF
- 3.4.3 p53 (TP53)
- 3.4.4 The Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) Pathway
- 3.4.4.1 PIK3CA
- 3.4.4.2 PTEN
- 3.4.5 TGF-B Signalling Pathways
- 3.4.5.1 TGFBR2
- 3.4.5.2 The SMAD Family of Genes
- 3.4.5.3 TGF-B Superfamily Receptors: ACVR2 and BMPR1A
3.5 Genome-Wide Analyses of Colorectal Cancer Genes
3.6 Metastasis Genes
3.7 Conclusions
References
4. Epigenetics of Colorectal Cancer; F.J. Carmona, M. Esteller
4.1 Introduction
4.2 DNA methylation defects in colorectal cancer
- 4.2.1 Hypomethylation of DNA
4.3 Inactivation of tumour suppressor genes by CpG island hypermethylation
4.4 Epigenetic regulation of microRNA in cancer
4.5 MicroRNAs as metastasis switches
4.6 Histone modification defects in colon cancer
4.7 Epigenetic contribution to co