[Metastasis-related genes].

Genetic changes related to cancer metastasis are overviewed. hst-1/int-2 co-amplification is closely related to the metastatic potential of esophageal carcinomas. Multiple autocrine and paracrine loops including EGF, TGF-alpha/EGF receptor system and HGF/c-met system are related to the biological malignancy of gastric carcinoma in general. On the other hand, K-sam and c-erbB2 amplification are frequently found in the metastatic foci of poorly and well-differentiated type gastric carcinoma. Various splice variants of cell adhesion molecule CD44 are the potent marker of human carcinomas themselves as well as metastases. Reduction in the expression of nm23 is a relatively common event in the metastasis of various human cancers, including stomach and colorectal carcinomas.