Focusing the spotlight on the zebrafish intestine to illuminate mechanisms of colorectal cancer

Abstract

Colorectal cancer, encompassing colon and rectal cancer, arises from the epithelial lining of the large bowel. It is most prevalent in Westernised societies and is increasing in frequency as the world becomes more industrialised. Unfortunately, metastatic colorectal cancer is not cured by chemotherapy and the annual number of deaths caused by colorectal cancer, currently 700,000, is expected to rise. Our understanding of the contribution that genetic mutations make to colorectal cancer, although incomplete, is reasonably well advanced. However, it has only recently become widely appreciated that in addition to the ongoing accumulation of genetic mutations, chronic inflammation also plays a c..