in treating a variety of cancers. While recent studies in the lab and in the clinic have provided promising results for treating various catenin-associated cancers, the Wnt/β-catenin pathway may make finding a single correct therapeutic target difficult as the pathway has been shown to elicit a variety of different actions and functions, some of which may possibly even prove to be anti-oncogenic. Catenins and cancer Summary: Associated Cancers: colorectal and ovarian cancer; pilomatrixoma; medulloblastoma; pleomorphic adenomas; malignant mesothelioma; glioblastomas. Mutations in catenin genes can cause loss of contact inhibition that can promote cancer development and tumor formation. Mutations associated with aberrant epithelial cell layer growth due to lack of adhesions and contact inhibition Down-regulated levels of α-catenin Up-regulated levels of β-catenin Stimulation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway Catenin alteration (and Wnt/β-catenin pathway up-regulation) may help stimulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (or EMT) Mutations or aberrant regulation of catenins may also associate with other factors that promote metastasis and tumorigenesis Treatments focus on correcting aberrant catenin levels or regulating catenin pathways that are associated with cancer development and progression References External links Protein families