Researchers from the University of Turku in Finland, Turku Bioscience Centre and Gustave Roussy Institute in France have discovered a molecular mechanism that regulates whether the cells of an aggressive colorectal cancer are conventional or inverted when they spread in the body. The discovery can help identify patients who have an elevated risk that the cancer metastasises to the abdominal cavity. The study was published in the journal Nature Communications.

The researchers studied mucinous colorectal adenocarcinoma, an aggressive form of cancer that constitutes for around 10–15 percent of all colorectal cancers. It is more common in young adults and women. Unlike most colorectal cancers, mucinous colorectal adenocarcinoma spreads in the form of small, compact clusters of cells. These clusters, which are known as tumour spheres, migrate to the abdominal cavity and metastasise on the peritoneum. This dissemination pattern is associated with a poor prognosis and limited treatment options.

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For more information contact Johanna Ivaska:

joivaska@utu.fi, +358 40 502 0812

Tykistökatu 6, 20520, Turku. Finland