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c-myc Overexpression is a tumor-specific phenomenon in a subset of human colorectal carcinomas

  • Original Papers
  • Clinical Oncology
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Summary

The transcriptional activity of the c-myc proto-oncogene was examined in 25 primary human colorectal carcinomas and their corresponding normal mucosae. The purpose was to determine whether the elevated levels of c-myc expression, frequently detected in this type of tumor, might be the consequence of alterations in the cell growth rate or the effect of a real transcriptional deregulation of the gene. In about 44% of the tumors the elevated c-myc expression was consequent to the enhanced growth rate of the neoplastic tissue, as estimated by the expression of the S-phase-specific histone H3 gene. In the other 56%, c-myc overexpression did not entirely depend on the proliferative activity of the neoplastic population. In this latter group, c-myc deregulation did not reside in structural modifications of the putative regulatory regions of the gene. Therefore, c-myc overexpression, at least in a subset of colorectal cancer, seems to be consequent to alterations in transregulative phenomena exerted on the c-myc gene by other genetic loci.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Experimental Oncology 1, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, Via Pedemontana Occidentale, I-33081, Aviano, PN, Italy

    Alessandra Viel, Roberta Maestro, Giuseppe Toffoli & Mauro Boiocchi

  2. Surgery Division II, Ospedale Civile di Pordenone, Italy

    Giorgio Grion

Authors
  1. Alessandra Viel
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  2. Roberta Maestro
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  3. Giuseppe Toffoli
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  4. Giorgio Grion
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  5. Mauro Boiocchi
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Additional information

Supported by grants from the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche: Progetto Finalizzato Oncologia no. 88.00537.44 and from the Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro

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Viel, A., Maestro, R., Toffoli, G. et al. c-myc Overexpression is a tumor-specific phenomenon in a subset of human colorectal carcinomas. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 116, 288–294 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01612905

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01612905

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