title: Aberrant crypt foci as precursors in colorectal cancer progression.
abstract: Colorectal cancer progression originates when accumulated genetic and epigenetic alterations cause genomic instability and a malignant phenotype. Subsequent molecular pathway deregulation leads to histopathologic changes that are clinically evident as aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and visualized by high-magnification chromoscopic colonoscopy. ACF are biomarkers of increased colorectal cancer risk, particularly those with dysplastic features. Genetic profiling using genomic instability, loss of heterozygosity, and methylation analysis has revealed a minority population of ACF genotypically analogous to cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA. frank.orlando@surgery.ufl.edu
authors.forename: Frank A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Orlando
authors.forename: Dongfeng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Juan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Baltodano
authors.forename: Thaer
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Khoury
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Gibbs
authors.forename: Victor J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Hassid
authors.forename: Bestoun H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Sadir J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Alrawi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*