Topic Highlight
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World J Gastroenterol. Jun 14, 2014; 20(22): 6774-6785
Published online Jun 14, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i22.6774
Inflammatory colonic carcinogenesis: A review on pathogenesis and immunosurveillance mechanisms in ulcerative colitis
Marco Scarpa, Ignazio Castagliuolo, Carlo Castoro, Anna Pozza, Melania Scarpa, Andromachi Kotsafti, Imerio Angriman
Marco Scarpa, Carlo Castoro, Melania Scarpa, Andromachi Kotsafti, Surgical Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology (IOV-IRCCS), 35128 Padova, Italy
Ignazio Castagliuolo, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
Anna Pozza, Imerio Angriman, Department of Surgery, Gastroenterology and Oncology, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
Author contributions: Scarpa M, Castagliuolo I, Castoro C and Angriman I conceived the study and wrote the manuscript; Pozza A, Scarpa M and Kotsafti A collected the articles for the review and were also involved in editing the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Marco Scarpa, MD, PhD, Surgical Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology (IOV-IRCCS), via Gattamelata 64, 35128 Padova, Italy. marcoscarpa73@yahoo.it
Telephone: +39-49-8211693 Fax: +39-49-8211694
Received: September 29, 2013
Revised: February 14, 2014
Accepted: February 26, 2014
Published online: June 14, 2014
Processing time: 260 Days and 12.6 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: The ulcerative colitis (UC)-associated carcinogenesis presents a different sequence of tumorigenic events compared to those that contribute to the development of sporadic colorectal cancer. In fact, in UC, early events are represented by oxidative DNA damage and DNA methylation that can produce inhibition of oncosuppressor genes, mutation of p53, aneuploidy, and microsatellite instability. Epithelial cell-T-cell cross-talk mediated by CD80 is a key factor in controlling the progression from low to high grade dysplasia in UC-associated carcinogenesis.