Matrix Gla Protein – a new marker for colorectal cancer detection? A systematic review

Abstract

Background . Colorectal cancer is a real public health issue, with high morbidity and severe impact on quality of life. Although mortality from this type of cancer is decreasing due to modern diagnostic and treatment methods, the understanding of its genetic and molecular mechanisms is important to develop a broader range of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Genetic therapy is an important strategy in cancer treatment, and the matrix Gla protein (MGP) gene expression has been described in numerous studies as increased in tumour pathology. In this article, we have summarized the currently available evidence on the connection between MGP and colorectal cancer. Materials and Methods . Following the PRISMA guidelines, we have searched the PubMed, ProQuest and ScienceDirect databases for relevant published works that studied the connection between colorectal cancer and MGP gene expression. Results . Three relevant works were included in this systematic review. Two of these studies have observed MGP gene overexpression in tumour cells, a result that contradicts the third study, where the MGP gene was underexpressed. Conclusions . The data provided by these articles is contradictory, and therefore more studies are needed on larger sets of subjects, to fully understand the connection between MGP and colorectal cancer.