The overproduction of a protein known as PROX1 may be responsible for turning colon polyps into cancerous tumors.

Research at the University of Helsinki reveals that PROX1, which controls the formation of normal organs in embryos, is produced in excess during the early stages of cancer development and encourages tumor cell growth without additional signals from surrounding normal tissues.

The removal of the protein from cancer cells appears to reverse their cancer causing behavior. Future research may focus on the protein’s use in colon cancer therapies.

Men and women face a lifetime risk of almost six percent for the development of invasive colorectal cancer, making it one of the most common cancers in the world.

Other studies have listed obesity and several dietary factors, including fat, red meat and a lack of vegetables and fiber, as contributors to an increased risk of the disease.