Specific gene patterns and molecular pathways related to human carcinogenesis in different populations among various geographic locations.

Abstract

We read with great interest the article by Beg et al,1 which was recently published in Cancer. Colorectal cancers (CRCs) are the most commonly diagnosed malignancies, accounting for approximately 1.36 million new cases worldwide every year.2 Colorectal carcinogenesis is a complex, multistep process involving environmental and lifestyle factors in addition to sequential genetic changes and possibly viral components. Currently, the majority of deaths from CRC occur in developing countries including the Middle East, in which the incidence of CRC is rising. CRCs are characterized by a marked propensity toward invasion and spread to local lymph nodes. The overall 5‐year survival rate for patients diagnosed with CRC is approximately 60% and to our knowledge this rate has not significantly improved over the past 2 decades.3 Therefore, new preventive and therapeutic strategies to circumvent various stages of carcinogenesis in CRC are becoming a major investigative focus. To achieve this goal, a comprehensive understanding of the genetic interactions associated with early events in colorectal carcinogenesis is an essential first step.