Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Does MSI-low exist?

Ian Tomlinson1, Sarah Halford, Lauri Aaltonen

  • 1Molecular and Population Genetics Laboratory, Imperial Cancer Research Fund, London, UK. i.tomlinson@icrf.icnet.uk

The Journal of Pathology
|June 26, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Microsatellite instability (MSI) in colorectal cancer is complex. While high MSI (MSI-H) tumors are distinct, low MSI (MSI-low) tumors lack clear definition, with recent studies suggesting a quantitative rather than qualitative difference.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

RPS20 as a colorectal cancer predisposition gene: an integrated review of the literature and evaluation in 9738 cases and 161,403 controls.

Familial cancer·2026
Same author

Spatial biomarker discovery via interpretable semantic learning in histopathology.

Cancer cell·2026
Same author

Generation of biologically responsive colon-like intestinal tissue patches from human induced pluripotent stem cells using a rapid co-differentiation platform.

Stem cell research & therapy·2026
Same author

Improving preclinical and clinical oncology research through patient integration.

Current medical research and opinion·2026
Same author

Mixed-model and transcriptome-wide association analyses identify transcription factors and genes associated with colorectal cancer susceptibility.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Promises under pressure: the modest predictive power of polygenic risk scores.

European journal of human genetics : EJHG·2026

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Genetics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Microsatellite instability (MSI) is a recognized molecular feature in cancer.
  • High MSI (MSI-H) sporadic colorectal cancers (10-15%) form a distinct group with specific clinicopathological features.
  • Low MSI (MSI-low) tumors are frequently referenced but lack a clear, consistent definition.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the definition and characteristics of MSI-low tumors.
  • To clarify the distinction between MSI-H and MSI-low phenotypes in colorectal cancer.
  • To assess the heterogeneity within the MSI-low tumor group.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature and definitions of MSI-low.
  • Analysis of data from recent independent studies on non-MSI-H colorectal cancers.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Comparison of molecular features associated with different MSI levels.

    • Main Results:

    • Definitions of MSI-low have varied significantly across studies.
    • Recent research indicates that a substantial proportion of non-MSI-H cancers exhibit some degree of MSI, nominally qualifying as MSI-low.
    • No evidence supports a qualitatively discrete MSI-low group; quantitative differences in MSI levels were observed.

    Conclusions:

    • The MSI-low phenotype in colorectal cancer is not a clearly defined entity.
    • Quantitative variations in MSI levels, rather than a distinct qualitative group, characterize MSI-low tumors.
    • Further research is needed to establish standardized definitions and understand the clinical implications of MSI heterogeneity.