The last 20 years have seen a remarkable increase in knowledge of the etiology of colorectal cancer. At least three aspects are much clearer. First, known environmental agents and behaviors have been identified that increase risk (for example, diets high in meat, obesity, and smoking ) or decrease risk (for example, diets high in plant foods, aspirin, and physical activity) of colorectal cancer. Second, germline mutations in specific genes have been identified for the major inherited syndromes involving colorectal cancer (FAP, Lynch Syndrome, Juvenile Polyposis, MYH-Associated Polyposis, Li-Fraumeni Syndrome) as have variants of genes that modify the risk associated with the known environmental agents. Third, the specific tissue, cellular, and molecular disturbances that characterize the progression to different subtypes of colorectal cancer have been recently described. Genetics of Colorectal Cancer provides the most up-to-date information in each of these areas.

Zusammenfassung

Genetic susceptibility refers to how variations in a person's genes increase or decrease his or her susceptibility to environmental factors, such as chemicals, radiation and lifestyle (diet and smoking). This volume will explore the latest findings in the area of genetic susceptibility to gastrointestinal cancers, focusing on molecular epidemiology, DNA repair, and gene-environment interactions to identify factors that affect the incidence of GI cancers. Topics will include germline susceptibility, including Mendelian patterns of inheritance and gene-environment interactions that lead to cancer etiology.

Inhalt
Epidemiology and Models of Colorectal Cancer.- Colorectal Cancer: Epidemiology.- Mouse Models of Intestinal Cancer.- Pathways to Colorectal Cancer.- The Chromosomal-Instability Pathway and APC Gene Mutation in Colorectal Cancer.- DNA Methylation in Colorectal Cancer: Multiple Facets of Tumorigenesis.- Pathways and Pathology.- Germline Susceptibility Mendelian and Other Syndromes.- Familial Adenomatous Polyposis.- DNA Mismatch Repair and Lynch Syndrome.- Additional Syndromes with Hereditary Predisposition to Colorectal Cancer.- Familial Colorectal Cancer Type X.- Families with Serrated Neoplasia of the Colon.- PeutzJeghers Syndrome.- Juvenile Polyposis.- BLM Mutation and Colorectal Cancer Susceptibility.- The Role of p53 in Colorectal Cancer.- Chromosomes 8q24 and 9p24: Associations with Colorectal Cancer.- Germline Susceptibility Gene-Environment Interactions.- Genetic Variability in Folate-Mediated One-Carbon Metabolism and Risk of Colorectal Neoplasia.- Genetic Variability in NSAID Targets and NSAID-Metabolizing Enzymes and Colorectal Neoplasia.- The Role of Chemical Carcinogens and Their Biotransformation in Colorectal Cancer.- Calcium and Vitamin D.