Integrins and E-Cadherin Expression – A Way for the Better Understanding of the Biological Behaviour of Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal carcinoma ranks second in frequency among all malignant tumors in the developed industrial countries. Determination of tumor cell differentiation together with pathological and clinical staging are currently the most important prognostic markers and thus decisive for the proper planning of therapy. The expression of adhesion molecules is subject to a number of genomic DNA alterations, e.g., point mutations and deletions. The resulting changes in the expression and function of adhesion molecules, (e.g., integrins and E-cadherin), lead to functional impairments in the cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions, which in turn can cause changes in cell differentiation and transformation. Our paper is intended as an overview and critical discussion of the significance of integrins and E-cadherin in tumor progression and the metastatic spread of colorectal carcinoma.