Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 5, 2026

Deficient Pms2, ERCC1, Ku86, CcOI in Field Defects During Progression to Colon Cancer
Published on: July 29, 2010
Chromosomal alterations in ulcerative colitis-related neoplastic progression
R F Willenbucher1, S J Zelman, L D Ferrell
1Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
Background & Aims:
It is unclear whether genomic derangement precedes the histological development of dysplasia in ulcerative colitis (UC)-related neoplastic progression. The primary aim of this study was to determine if chromosomal alterations occur early in the progression pathway of UC-related neoplasia.
Methods:
Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed on nuclei dissociated from sites of cancer, dysplasia, and UC-involved nondysplastic epithelium in five UC-related cancer colectomy specimens using a panel of pericentromeric probes. Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) was used to detect clonal chromosomal losses and gains in DNA extracted from these sites.
Results:
FISH analysis revealed significant and often dramatic alterations in chromosome copy number compared with controls in all biopsy specimens of cancer, dysplasia, and nondysplastic UC-involved epithelium. Clonal chromosomal losses and gains were detected by CGH in all but one analyzed site of dysplasia and cancer and in two of the five nondysplastic sites. FISH and CGH frequently detected the relative loss of chromosome 18.
Conclusions:
Chromosomal alterations may occur early in UC-related neoplastic progression and seem to precede the histological development of dysplasia. Relative loss of 18q may be important in the progression of UC-related neoplasia. The detection of chromosomal alterations as an intermediate end point may prove useful in identifying patients at high risk for the development of colorectal cancer.
Related Concept Videos
Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell
Tumor Progression
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease I: Ulcerative Colitis
Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, encompasses a group of disorders characterized by chronic inflammation or ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract.
Risk Factors
The exact cause of IBD remains unclear, although it is believed to be due to a mix of genetic, environmental, microbial, and immune factors. Genetic factors are significant in determining susceptibility to IBD, with family history being a critical risk factor. Individuals with a first-degree relative who has IBD are at...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Ulcerative Colitis
Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Crohn's Disease
Inflammatory Bowel Disease IV: Clinical Manifestations

