Hypermethylation of SFRP Genes in Stool DNA Test: A Future Technology in Colorectal Cancer Screening

Aims: Stool DNA test is considered as a future technology in screening for colorectal cancer (CRC). Both genetic and epigenetic changes in shed cells from gastrointestinal tumors into stool could be detected. Potentially, both premalignant adenomas and CRC may be detected this way. 90% of CRC seem to be sporadic and 10% hereditary. Age, diet, and environment have been suggested to induce epigenetic changes that may contribute to the development of sporadic CRC. Epigenetic hypermethylation can result in transcriptional silencing of tumor suppressor genes and is considered to be a key event of sporadic colorectal…