DCC: is there a connection between tumorigenesis and cell guidance molecules?

Based on the findings reviewed above, DCC remains a strong candidate for the tumor suppressor gene in the 18q21 region that is presumed to be frequently inactivated in colorectal and a number of other cancer types. Although little is known of the specific mechanisms that account for the loss of its expression in most cancers, the recent studies demonstrating an association between loss of DCC expression in colorectal cancers and poor prognosis imply that DCC inactivation may have very significant effects on the cancer cell phenotype. DCC function in normal and cancer cells is still relatively poorly understood. However, recent studies have begun to provide some insights. Based on the results of a number of recent studies, DCC appears likely to have a role in significant role in differentiation, cell fate determination, and migration in the nervous system and perhaps other tissues as well. Though many additional studies are needed to characterize DCC function more definitively, it seems reasonable to predict that such studies are likely to provide new insights into growth control pathways in normal and cancer tissues.