GENETIC ASPECTS IN THE COLORECTAL POLYPS CARCINOGENESIS

Colorectal cancer, one of the most frequent cancers worldwide, is more prevalent in North America, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, Western Europe, Japan and Israel and, for this reason, is commonly regarded as a Western lifestyle disease. The progressive introduction of Western dietary habits, especially increased fat intake and reduced carbohydrate and dietary fiber intake is associated with an increased incidence of colorectal cancer and related deaths. This is the reason of a marked interest in the understanding of cell and molecular mechanisms underlying the carcinogenetic processes. The advanced neoplasm, including colorectal cancer, contain a large number of genetic and molecular alterations that contribute to their neoplastic progression. It is well known that early detection of malignancies in different tissues is quite important for reducing the disease. Cancer that is of epithelial origin is caused by both external and internal factors. These causal factors may act together or in sequence to initiate and /or promote cancer. In spite of knowing more than ever about the genetic and cellular events that can accelerate or inhibit cancer induction, cancer is still the number one health concern in the world, especially in Western and Westernized countries.