[Metastasis related genes and malignancy in human esophageal, gastric and colorectal cancers].

Alterations in multiple oncogenes and multiple tumor suppressor genes are observed in human gastro-intestinal cancer. Among them, the most frequently implicated in malignancy and metastasis of esophageal carcinoma may be amplification and overexpression of the human cyclin D gene. In gastric carcinoma, amplification and abnormal expression of the c-met gene encoding receptor for hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) may contribute to the tumor progression and metastasis. Interaction between cadherin in c-met overexpressed tumor cells and HGF from fibroblast may play an important role in morphogenesis of two histological types of stomach cancer. During stomach carcinogenesis the clone having critical p53 mutations may expand selectively to make up a finally advanced stage of malignancy and show metastasis. In colorectal cancer, loss of heterozygosity of the RB, p53 and DCC genes is frequently associated with liver metastasis. Overexpression of nm23 may participate in carcinogenesis and the reduction in nm23 expression is involved in metastasis in gastric and colorectal cancers.