Washington DC, July 7 -- Scientists have identified a molecular switch that could help explain why colorectal cancer becomes more deadly. Researchers found that when levels of a gene-regulating factor known as GATA6 decline, cancer cells lose their normal identity and transform into highly adaptable, fetal-like cells that can spread through the bloodstream and form new tumours in the liver.

The study suggests this transition is driven primarily by changes in how genes are activated or suppressed, rather than by new genetic mutations.

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have identified a key factor that may help colorectal cancer spread to the liver. Their findings suggest that losing GATA6...