PATHOPHYSIOLOGY DIAGRAM: Colorectal Cancer

Predisposing factors:
 Sex: Male
Precipitating factors:
 Family history  High-red meat, low-fiber diets
 Acquired/inherited (inherited colorectal  Alcohol use
cancers: Familial adenomatous polyposis/  Smoking 
FAP, Lynch syndrome  Inflammatory intestinal conditions
 Obesity 

Promoting the acquisition of hallmark

behaviors of cancer in colon epithelial cell

Activate mutations in oncogenes and

inactivate tumor suppressor genes.

The loss of genomic and/or epigenomic

stability

Neoplastic lesions in the colon (namely,

Epigenetic alterations growth of polyp)

Gene mutation Drive the malignant transformation of colon

cells  or formation of cancer stem cells through
rounds of clonal expansion that select for
those cells with the most aggressive and
malignant behavior. 

Although the histology of conventional tubular

adenomas is fairly homogeneous, the
molecular biology of these polyps is
heterogeneous.

Colorectal Cancer