Polyclonal origins of human premalignant colorectal lesions.

ABSTRACT: Cancer is generally thought to be caused by expansion of a single mutant cell¹. However, analyses of early colorectal cancer lesions indicate that tumours may instead originate from several genetically distinct cell populations^2,3. Detecting polyclonal tumour initiation is challenging in patients, as it requires profiling early-stage lesions before clonal sweeps obscure diversity. To investigate this, we analysed normal colorectal mucosa, benign and dysplastic premalignant polyps and malignant adenocarcinomas (123 samples) from six individuals with familial adenomatous polyposis. Individuals with familial adenomatous polyposis have a germline heterozygous APC mutation, predisposing them to colorectal cancer and numerous premalignant polyps by early adulthood⁴

SUBMITTER: Van Egeren D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12935544 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature