Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common form of cancer and the second cause of
cancer-related death in the Western world, leading to 655,000 deaths worldwide per year
(Jemal et al. in CA Cancer J Clin 56: 106–130, 2006). Despite the emergence of new
targeted agents and the use of various therapeutic combinations, none of the treatment
options available is curative in patients with advanced cancer. A growing body of evidence
is increasingly supporting the idea that human cancers can be considered as a stem cell …

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of death from cancer in the United
States. Aggressive research in the last decade has led to a wealth of information about this
disease; for example, we now know that more than 80% of sporadic colon tumors contain
mutations in the Wnt and TGFβ signaling pathways. The latest avenue of research is
revealing the existence of and role for the cancer stem cell (CSC) model, which promotes
the idea that malignancies originate from a small fraction of cancer cells that show self …

Colorectal cancer is the third most common form of cancer and the second leading cause of
cancerrelated death in the Western world, causing 655 000 deaths worldwide per year. 1
The incidence of colon cancer is usually increased in developed countries, being seemingly
linked with a sedentary lifestyle and a high caloric intake. The occurrence of colon cancer is
slightly higher in men than in women and increases with age. Most cases occur between the
sixth and the seventh decade of life, while cases before age 50 are uncommon, unless a …