title: Intestinal inflammation and colorectal cancer: a double-edged sword?
abstract: Chronic inflammation is thought to be the leading cause of many human cancers including colorectal cancer (CRC). Accordingly, epidemiologic and clinical studies indicate that patients affected by ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, the two major forms of inflammatory bowel disease, have an increased risk of developing CRC. In recent years, the role of immune cells and their products have been shown to be pivotal in initiation and progression of colitis-associated CRC. On the other hand, activation of the immune system has been shown to cause dysplastic cell elimination and cancer suppression in other settings. Clinical and experimental data herein reviewed, while confirming chronic inflammation as a risk factor for colon carcinogenesis, do not completely rule out the possibility that under certain conditions the chronic activation of the mucosal immune system might protect from colonic dysplasia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pallone
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Monteleone
authors.forename: Massimo Claudio
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Fantini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000276:immunology; D018925:Chemokines / Q000276:immunology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000276:immunology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000276:immunology; D007422:Intestines / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D018925:Chemokines; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10