COMMENTARY

Colorectal cancer

Another important function for an old friend! The role of iron in colorectal carcinogenesis

J R Butterworth

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr J R Butterworth
Department of Gastroenterology, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY3 8XQ, UK; j.r.butterworth@btinternet.com

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Epidemiological data strongly support a role for dietary and haem iron in colorectal carcinogenesis through multiple pathways

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Keywords: iron; colorectal cancer; colon; cancer

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The aetiopathogenesis of colorectal carcinoma (CRC) remains the holy grail for researchers in the field. CRC arises from benign neoplasms and evolves into adenocarcinoma through a stepwise histological progression sequence, proceeding from either adenomas or hyperplastic polyps/serrated adenomas. Genetic alterations are associated with specific steps in this polyp-adenocarcinoma sequence and are believed to drive the histological progression towards colon cancer. Approximately 50% of CRCs are attributed to dietary factors and about 15–20% to genetic factors, including the high risk familial syndromes.¹ Large prospectively collected epidemiological data have suggested that iron may confer an increased risk for CRC.²

An apparent dose-response for serum ferritin level and adenoma risk suggests that exposure to dietary iron may be involved in the development of colorectal adenomas (and particularly proximal adenomas).³ Dietary haem iron (through its effect on epithelial proliferation) is associated with an increased risk of proximal colon cancer, especially in women . . . [Full text of this article]

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