Methylated CpG island amplification (MCA) microarray analysis of human colorectal tumors

The concept of the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) in colorectal cancer (CRC) is widely accepted, though the timing of its occurrence and its interaction with other genetic defects are not fully understood. Our aim in this study was to unravel the molecular development of CIMP cancers by dissecting their genetic and epigenetic signatures in precancerous and malignant colorectal lesions. A total of 88 samples (16 normal colon tissues taken from adjacent tumor tissue, 70 colorectal tumor tissues and 2 cell lines) was analyzed using MCA microarray. Aberrant DNA methylation was compared with clinicopathological features and copy number.