Bai Hsing Chen. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 89-94). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Acknowledgments --- p.ii / Publication --- p.iii / List of Abbreviations --- p.iv / List of Tables --- p.v / List of Figures --- p.vi / Abstract --- p.vii / 摘要 --- p.x / Table of Contents --- p.xii / Chapter Chapter 1 --- INTRODUCTION / Chapter 1.1 --- Molecular Biology in Cancer Development --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Cell Cycle and Cancer --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Oncogenes and Tumor Suppressor Genes --- p.4 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- Epigenetic Alteration in Tumor Cells --- p.6 / Chapter 1.2 --- Colorectal Cancer Development --- p.9 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Epidemiology of Colorectal Cancer --- p.9 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Adenoma-Carcinoma Sequence --- p.11 / Chapter 1.2.2.1 --- Hyperplastic (metaplastic) Polyps --- p.11 / Chapter 1.2.2.2 --- Aberrant Crypt Foci (ACF) --- p.13 / Chapter 1.2.2.3 --- Adenomas --- p.13 / Chapter 1.2.2.4 --- Serrated adenomas --- p.15 / Chapter 1.2.2.5 --- Colorectal Carcinomas --- p.16 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Genetic alterations in CRC --- p.18 / Chapter 1.2.4 --- Epigenetic alterations in CRC --- p.21 / Chapter 1.2.5 --- Staging of Colorectal Cancer --- p.23 / Chapter 1.3 --- Hypothesis --- p.25 / Chapter 1.4 --- Aim of Study --- p.26 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- MATERIALS and METHODES / Chapter 2.1 --- Patient Populations --- p.28 / Chapter 2.2 --- Microdissection and Immunohistochemistry --- p.29 / Chapter 2.3 --- DNA Isolation and Modification --- p.31 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- DNA Extraction from Microdissected Tissues --- p.31 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- DNA Extraction from Frozen Biopsy --- p.31 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Bisulfite Modification of DNA --- p.32 / Chapter 2.4 --- Detection of K-ras Mutation --- p.33 / Chapter 2.5 --- Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) --- p.36 / Chapter 2.6 --- Bisulfite DNA Sequencing --- p.42 / Chapter 2.7 --- Statistical analysis --- p.44 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- RESULTS / Chapter 3.1 --- Promoter Hypermethylation of Tumor Related Genes in the Progression of Colorectal Neoplasia --- p.46 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Clinico-Pathological parameters --- p.46 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- "Frequencies of Promoter Hypermethylation in Colorectal Cancers, Adenomas and Normal Colonic Tissues" --- p.47 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Promoter Hypermethylation in Multiple Genes --- p.50 / Chapter 3.1.4 --- Promoter Hypermethylation in Advanced vs. Non-advanced Adenoma --- p.50 / Chapter 3.1.5 --- Methylation Patterns in Paired Adjacent Tissues from Cancer Patients --- p.53 / Chapter 3.1.6 --- Immunohistochemistry --- p.55 / Chapter 3.1.7 --- K-ras mutation --- p.61 / Chapter 3.1.8 --- Clinicopathological Correlations with Promoter Hypermethylation --- p.64 / Chapter 3.2 --- DNA Methylation Spread within HLTF CpG Island in Colorectal neoplasia --- p.67 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- DISCUSSION / Chapter 4.1 --- Methylation is an early event in Colorectal Carcinogenesis --- p.72 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Methylation is frequently detected in both adenoma and carcinoma --- p.74 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Concurrent methylation in multiple genes --- p.76 / Chapter 4.1.3 --- Methylation in advanced and non-advanced colorectal adenomas --- p.76 / Chapter 4.1.4 --- Relationship between K-ras mutation and methylation --- p.78 / Chapter 4.1.5 --- Methylation in adjacent tissues --- p.80 / Chapter 4.2 --- DNA Methylation Spread in HLTF gene --- p.81 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- HLTF is Frequently Methylated in Gastrointestinal Neoplasm --- p.82 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Methylation Spread Patterns in Cancers and Adenomas --- p.83 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Age Dependent Methylation Spread --- p.85 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- CONCLUSION --- p.87 / References --- p.89