Microsatellite Instability in Colorectal Cancer

Abstract

Cancer is a genetic disease. Cancer cells contain various mutations, which includes SNPs to chromosomal aberrations. Together, these changes are referred to as genome instability. Genetic instability is one of the common characteristics of colorectal cancer. In colorectal cancer three major types of genetic instability have been reported. They are chromosomal translocations, microsatellite instability (MSI), and chromosome instability (CIN). Microsatellite instability occurs due to variations in DNA mismatch repair genes, while chromosomal instability is distinguished by major chromosomal alterations occurring at cell division and usually involves -catenin and Adenomatous polyposis coli protein (APC) mutations. This chapter summarizes the major molecular mechanisms leading to genomic and microsatellite instability and tumorigenesis.

Chromosomal Instability-Driven Cancer Progression: Interplay with the Tumour Microenvironment and Therapeutic Strategies

“…Telomere attrition can lead to CIN via breakage-fusion-bridge cycles of chromosomes with shortened telomeres, which will lead to chromosome fragmentation and thus structural copy number changes [16]. Collectively, a variety of factors, including but not limited to deregulated kinetochore-microtubule interactions, replication stress, and telomere erosion, thus contribute to the diverse karyotypic alterations instigated by CIN [9,[14][15][16][17][18].…”

Dysregulation of Circadian Clock Genes Associated with Tumor Immunity and Prognosis in Patients with Colon Cancer

“…Numerous research has been conducted to study the association between microsatellite instability (MSI) and the prognosis of CRC. The prognosis of CRC with MSI is much better than that of CRC with intact mismatch repair [ 20 ].…”