Controversial Role of Iron in Colorectal Carcinogenesis

Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in males and the second in females worldwide with over 1.2 million new cases and over 600,000 estimated deaths in 2008. In the United States, it is estimated that 142,820 new cases of CRC withover 50,000 deaths occur annually. The development of CRC has been shown to be related to individual’s genetics and environmental factors. 

The genetic effect on the development of sporadic CRC is reflected by different incidences occurring based on age, sex, and ethnicity. About 10-15 % of CRC are solely attributable to genetic abnormalities. Hereditary CRC syndromes such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and hereditary non polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) are two of these examples. The development of sporadic CRCs, comprising the majority of cases, has been linked to many environmental factors. Read more>>>>>>>>>>>>>>