[Colorectal Carcinoma--current Pathogenetic Concepts. Significance of Cell-matrix Interaction for Invasive Growth and Metastasis]

Altered expression of certain cell-matrix receptors has been found to be specific for malignant, transformed epithelial cells in the large intestine. An attractive hypothesis, therefore, is that invasion and metastasis result from characteristic changes of these cell adhesion molecules. In animal models, it was possible to reduce the frequency of tumor invasion and metastasis and to achieve longer survival by modifications of cell membrane binding components on malignant cells. An increasing understanding of the role of receptor-mediated epithelium-matrix interactions in malignancy facilitates the development of new therapeutic concepts.