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Updated: Sep 2, 2025
Molecular Profiling of the Invasive Tumor Microenvironment in a 3-Dimensional Model of Colorectal Cancer Cells and Ex vivo Fibroblasts
Published on: April 29, 2014
Molecular characterization of colorectal cancer related peritoneal metastatic disease
Kristiaan J Lenos1,2, Sander Bach3, Leandro Ferreira Moreno4,5
1Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology Metabolism, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. k.j.lenos@amsterdamumc.nl.
Abstract:
A significant proportion of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients develop peritoneal metastases (PM) in the course of their disease. PMs are associated with a poor quality of life, significant morbidity and dismal disease outcome. To improve care for this patient group, a better understanding of the molecular characteristics of CRC-PM is required. Here we present a comprehensive molecular characterization of a cohort of 52 patients. This reveals that CRC-PM represent a distinct CRC molecular subtype, CMS4, but can be further divided in three separate categories, each presenting with unique features. We uncover that the CMS4-associated structural protein Moesin plays a key role in peritoneal dissemination. Finally, we define specific evolutionary features of CRC-PM which indicate that polyclonal metastatic seeding underlies these lesions. Together our results suggest that CRC-PM should be perceived as a distinct disease entity.
