Identification of putative histopathological markers of anoikis resistance in colorectal carcinoma and their clinical significance
Thesis event information
Date and time of the thesis defence
Place of the thesis defence
Leena Palotie auditorium (101A), Aapistie 5A
Topic of the dissertation
Identification of putative histopathological markers of anoikis resistance in colorectal carcinoma and their clinical significance
Doctoral candidate
Licentiate of Medicine Taneli Mattila
Faculty and unit
University of Oulu Graduate School, Faculty of Medicine, Translational Medicine Research Unit
Subject of study
Pathology
Opponent
Professor Pekka Taimen, University of Turku
Custos
Professor emeritus Tuomo Karttunen, University of Oulu
First steps taken towards identifying anoikis resistance directly from cancer tissue – new method predicts survival in colorectal cancer patients
In his doctoral thesis, Taneli Mattila, a researcher at the University of Oulu, has for the first time assessed anoikis resistance directly from human cancer tissue samples. Previously, cell culture was required to determine anoikis resistance. A key factor in cancer spread is the ability of cancer cells to survive without normal attachment to surrounding tissue. Healthy cells die when they lose this crucial contact through a protective mechanism of the body called anoikis, which cancer cells must overcome to metastasise.
The pivotal finding was that cancer cells resisting anoikis showed no increase in cell death rate despite losing their normal contact with the surrounding tissue. In other words, they survived in situations where cells normally die. "For the first time, we have been able to directly identify and count cell groups that appear to resist anoikis from cancer tissue samples taken from patients," Mattila says.
Anoikis resistance indicates cancer aggressiveness
Cancer cells that resist anoikis may signal more aggressive disease. Mattila’s doctoral study, conducted within the field of pathology, analysed tissue samples from 149 colorectal cancer patients. The research found that a high number of cell groups classified as anoikis-resistant in primary tumours or metastases predicts cancer death in colorectal cancer patients.
A particularly interesting finding was that anoikis-resistant cell groups were more abundant in metastases than in original tumours. Small metastases, in particular, contained more of these cell groups than primary tumours. These findings support the importance of these cell groups in the development of metastases, especially in the early stages.
The study also revealed elevated MUC1 protein expression in anoikis-resistant cell groups. High MUC1 expression in nodal metastases was associated with increased cancer mortality and synchronous distant metastases.
Mattila's doctoral thesis opens new possibilities for understanding colorectal cancer and lays the foundation for further research into the predictive and therapeutic potential of anoikis-resistant cells. "Our research supports that anoikis resistance is crucial for cancer progression. We will continue studying this phenomenon using patient samples, and I can hardly wait for our next results," Mattila concludes.
The pivotal finding was that cancer cells resisting anoikis showed no increase in cell death rate despite losing their normal contact with the surrounding tissue. In other words, they survived in situations where cells normally die. "For the first time, we have been able to directly identify and count cell groups that appear to resist anoikis from cancer tissue samples taken from patients," Mattila says.
Anoikis resistance indicates cancer aggressiveness
Cancer cells that resist anoikis may signal more aggressive disease. Mattila’s doctoral study, conducted within the field of pathology, analysed tissue samples from 149 colorectal cancer patients. The research found that a high number of cell groups classified as anoikis-resistant in primary tumours or metastases predicts cancer death in colorectal cancer patients.
A particularly interesting finding was that anoikis-resistant cell groups were more abundant in metastases than in original tumours. Small metastases, in particular, contained more of these cell groups than primary tumours. These findings support the importance of these cell groups in the development of metastases, especially in the early stages.
The study also revealed elevated MUC1 protein expression in anoikis-resistant cell groups. High MUC1 expression in nodal metastases was associated with increased cancer mortality and synchronous distant metastases.
Mattila's doctoral thesis opens new possibilities for understanding colorectal cancer and lays the foundation for further research into the predictive and therapeutic potential of anoikis-resistant cells. "Our research supports that anoikis resistance is crucial for cancer progression. We will continue studying this phenomenon using patient samples, and I can hardly wait for our next results," Mattila concludes.
Last updated: 8.9.2025