Colon cancer research
The colon is a part of the digestive tract, the longest part of the large intestine. Cancer occurs when cells in the tissues of the colon become abnormal and divide uncontrollably to form a malignant tumor. Most begin as polyps or lumps that become cancerous.
There are genetic risk factors for colon cancer (20% are genetically related), but other causes such as obesity, sedentary lifestyle, excessive alcohol consumption and smoking also play a role.
It is the third most common type of cancer, not counting skin cancer. It can be cured in 90% of cases if detected at an early stage. Hence the importance of early detection. At the same time, in cases of relapse or metastasis, there are still no effective treatments.
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We dream of curing colon cancer
Treatment options have increased significantly in recent years, but much remains to be discovered.
We deepen our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms involved in the origin of this disease.
We seek to discover innovative therapeutic strategies to combat disease metastasis.
We seek to identify and characterize molecular targets that improve diagnosis and contribute to early detection of the disease in patients.
REFERENCES IN BASIC AND TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH
Oncogenes and Effector Targets Research Group
Reference team in preclinical research on tumors that depend on the KRAS oncogene, such as colon cancer. Its objective is to understand the causes of the disease in order to identify new therapeutic alternatives and develop innovative strategies for its treatment.
It is part of the Solid Tumors Program.
Other transversal programs researching this disease are the Immunology and Immunotherapy Program and the Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression Program.