[The scientific and clinical value of molecular genetic changes in the intercellular gap junctions observed in colon...

Colon cancer is one of the most widespread pathologies with high mortality due to recurrence and metastasis. The molecular methods of diagnosis, prognostication and biotherapy in colorectal cancer enjoyed a rapid progress during the recent decades. The hypothesis on the key role of impaired intercellular gap junctions in the onset and progression of malignant tumors is a promising trend in carcinogenesis research. We have recently discovered a variety of tumor-specific mutations of connexin 43 gene in advanced colorectal cancer (Oncogene. -2002.-Vol.21, No.32-pp.4992-4996), which confirms the above hypothesis in malignant tumor progression. We believe that further studies of connexins' mutation changes in tumor growth is a promising trend in research of its etiology and pathogenesis and in designing new methods of diagnostics and treatment of colonic and other gastrointestinal cancers.