The growth of colon cancer was promoted by the application of gastrin, whereas it was restricted by proglumide, which is known to be a gastrin receptor antagonist.
While epidemiological evidence from patients with elevated serum gastrin levels related to pernicious anaemia does not support an increased risk for colon cancer, a recent study suggests that prolonged hypergastrinaemia is associated with an increased risk for colon cancer.
Previous studies have shown that the gene encoding the hormone gastrin is activated during colon cancer progression and the less-processed forms of gastrin are important colonic trophic factors.
Thus low to moderate levels of gastrin were expressed by human colon cancer cell lines which may function as autocrine growth factors for colon cancers.