Identification of New Colorectal Cancer Genes

Colorectal cancer is one of the most significant causes of cancer morbidity and mortality in the United States. In 1997, approximately 130,000 men and woman were diagnosed with colorectal cancer (fourth most common cancer site) and approximately 55,000 died of this disease (second most common cause of cancer deaths); (Cancer Facts & Figures, 1997).

Genetic factors clearly contribute to the etiology of colorectal cancer. Because there is evidence to suggest genetically determined susceptibility to colorectal cancer exists in a proportion of newly diagnosed cases each year, we are conducting a study to identify new genes that are associated with an increased susceptibility to familial colorectal cancer by analysis of families with a clustering of colorectal cancers.