Tag: bowel cancer

Groundbreaking research could revolutionise bowel cancer treatment

New research led by a team of scientists from Queen’s University Belfast and the Cancer Research UK (CRUK) Scotland Institute in Glasgow have made a series of groundbreaking discoveries into tumour biology that may be used to deliver a more effective personalised medicine approach for patients with bowel (colorectal) cancer.

Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK, with around 42,900 new bowel cancer cases and around 16,600 bowel cancer deaths in the UK every year, a statistic that highlights the need for new ways to treat patients with this aggressive disease.

The new study, funded by Cancer Research UK and published today in the prestigious journal Nature Genetics, used a unique and innovative approach developed in Belfast, to identify a set of previously unseen molecular patterns in tumour tissue that provides new information related to treatment response and risk of disease progression.

These remarkable results mean that clinicians and scientists can now draw more information from a patient’s tumour tissue which may lead to better treatment options.

Previously, the most common approach for identifying groups of tumours based on their biological signalling, known as molecular subtyping, used information about how active individual genes are within tumour tissue.

The subtypes identified using this method have shaped understanding of cancer development, progression and response to therapy over the last decade and served as the basis for numerous clinical trials and pre-clinical studies.

Dr Philip Dunne, Reader in Molecular Pathology from the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research at Queen’s University Belfast and senior author of the study, explains: “While looking at patterns across individual genes has revealed remarkable insights into cancer signalling, advances in laboratory research over the last decade have shown that assessing activity in groups of closely related genes in combination can provide new understanding that isn’t apparent when using the traditional single gene approaches.”

Given the potential value of this new pathway approach, researchers from Queen’s University Belfast, the CRUK Scotland Institute, University of Zurich, University of Oxford alongside a multinational collaborative group proposed a new data-driven method for reclassification of bowel cancer, which has been published in this new groundbreaking study.

By assembling genes into biological pathways prior to the development of molecular subtypes, the team rearranged tumours into a series of new groups, based on activity across a complex network of cancer-related signalling; all of which appears to be critical in predicting how well a tumour will respond to different treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

To ensure that scientists and clinicians around the world can immediately access these data and test this new subtyping approach, the team have released a freely available classification tool that allows the Belfast-developed approach to be used on tumour samples in any research lab.

Dr Sudhir Malla, Postdoctoral Research Fellow from the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research at Queen’s University Belfast and first author of the study commented: “By developing an unrestricted classification tool for the cancer research community, it means that researchers from around the world can reproduce our finding on data emerging from their own collections of tumour samples, to identify biological pathways that cancer cells switch on or off to control their movement, growth and response to their environment.”

Professor Owen Sansom, Director of the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute in Glasgow, who co-authored the study said: “The research presented today in Nature Genetics exemplifies the value of collaborative research between scientists and clinicians.

“Studies such as this are essential to enable us to understand the complexities of a patient’s tumour and will be used in our pre-clinical laboratories to identify novel treatments specifically targeting the biological patterns we have identified.”

Dr Sam Godfrey, Research Information Lead at Cancer Research UK, said: “Cancer is perhaps the most complex disease we face, and no single treatment will ever beat it.

“Cancer Research UK is delighted to have funded this innovative research, an important step towards giving doctors the insight to see which therapy can best exploit an individual cancer’s weakness.

“Research like this could lead to better and more precise treatments for the thousands of people diagnosed with bowel cancer every year in Scotland.”

The team are now applying their new subtyping approach on tumour samples derived from clinical trials run in the UK, to build the essential clinical evidence needed before the new method can be used to make clinical decision about which treatments a patient should be offered.

IBS vs Bowel Cancer: three red flags that need to be seen by a doctor

With April being IBS awareness month, Google searches for ‘What is irritable bowel syndrome?’ have increased by over 300% in the past 30 days, and ‘What does IBS feel like?’ has also seen an increase of 250%.

Below you will find some answers from Dr Vivek Goel, a gastroenterologist at Spire Cardiff Hospital . 

I’m a doctor and here are the symptoms, triggers, and cures for your IBS 

The exact cause of IBS is unknown, but some causes include family history and infection 

The exact cause of IBS isn’t known, although potential risk factors have been identified such as stress and family history. Differences in the bacteria that live in the gut of those who have IBS could also have other conditions. IBS can also occur after an abdominal infection (gastroenteritis), which subsequently changes the gut microbiome.

IBS is also caused by contractions that are too weak, which can slow down the movement of food through the gut leading to constipation. At the same time, contractions that are too strong or too long can lead to diarrhoea, bloating and flatulence.

Symptoms include problematic urination, backaches and nauseousness, as well as the usual stomach pain

IBS symptoms are often triggered or worsened by eating or drinking. Common symptoms include stomach pain and cramps, abdominal bloating, diarrhoea and constipation. You may also experience backache, feel tired and nauseous, pass more wind (flatulence), pass whitish mucus on your stools, and have problems controlling your urge to urinate and open your bowels.

Food triggers are different for everyone, but some of the main culprits are cabbage, broccoli and apples

Food and drink triggers for those with IBS vary from one individual to the next, which is why it is helpful to keep a food diary where you can track what you’ve eaten and drank alongside your symptoms.

Drinks that can trigger IBS include caffeinated drinks (e.g. tea, coffee, and certain energy drinks), and fizzy drinks. Foods that may trigger IBS include cabbage, cruciferous vegetables (e.g. broccoli, Brussel sprouts), high-fructose fruits (apples, mangoes, pears), fatty/fried foods (chips, crisps, cheese), highly processed foods and pulses.

Chewing gum might also be a trigger of your IBS 

The primary triggers for IBS outside of food and drink are anxiety, stress and certain medications e.g. antibiotics, certain antidepressants and medication containing sorbitol (e.g. cough syrup). Eating too quickly and chewing gum can also trigger IBS symptoms.

Non-caffeinated drinks and probiotics can help ease symptoms of IBS 

Drinking non-caffeinated tea (e.g. peppermint, chamomile or fennel tea) may help to reduce stomach cramps.

Taking probiotics can also be helpful. Probiotics contain live bacteria that support your gut microbiome and can be taken as tablets or found in certain foods (e.g. yoghurts with live bacteria, kefir, kimchi, miso, sauerkraut, tempeh) and drinks (e.g. kombucha).

In general, cooking food at home using fresh ingredients can help you better manage IBS as you can control exactly what goes into your food to avoid triggers.

There is no cure for IBS. However, it can get better on its own and its symptoms can be managed through dietary changes, regular exercise and stress relief.

IBS vs bowel cancer: bloody stools, thin stools and unexplained weight loss should cause concern 

Both cause stomach pain, cramps, bloating and changes in your bowel habits. IBS can also cause whitish mucus on your stools but this doesn’t usually occur in bowel cancer. Unlike IBS, bowel cancer can cause bloody stools, thin stools, unexplained weight loss and general weakness. If you’re experiencing persistent bowel symptoms, seeing your GP to rule out more serious conditions, such as bowel cancer is important.

IBS vs diverticulitis – IBS can cause pain anywhere, whereas diverticulitis causes pain on the lower left side

Both IBS and diverticulitis cause stomach pain. However, in diverticulitis, this is usually focused on the lower left side of the abdomen and is constant. In IBS, pain can occur anywhere across your abdomen and usually eases after opening your bowels.

Diverticulitis changes occur in the lining of the gut, with the formation of small pockets that become inflamed and/or infected. In IBS, no changes occur to the gut lining.

Scientists awaken viral response to target bowel cancer

New research has identified the role of the immune response within bowel cancer tissue, which could lead to new lifesaving treatments for bowel cancer patients.

The study at Queen’s University Belfast analysed over 1,000 tumour samples from patients diagnosed with bowel cancer. Through analysing the visual appearance of the tumour as well as its genetic make-up, the researchers were then able to test how the immune cells within the tumour responded to different treatments in the laboratory.

The study showed that stimulating a viral-like response within a tumour can reawaken the patient’s own immune system to detect and kill cancer cells. This immune response, similar to a person’s general response to an infection, plays an important role in controlling tumour spread in some bowel cancer patients.

Although in early stage research, it is hoped that this personalised approach to treatment for bowel cancer patients could lead to increased survival rates. The research team will now focus on developing clinical trials, with the aim to treat patients within the next five years.

Dr Philip Dunne, Senior Lecturer in Molecular Pathology at the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research at Queen’s and senior author of the study, commented: “In order to identify the most appropriate treatment options for cancer patients, our work combines features from the tumour’s visual appearance down the microscope with information about changes in the genetic make-up of the person’s tumour.

“We have found that stimulating a subset of immune cells to react in the same way that they would to a virus can reactivate multiple steps within the immune system. In cancer patients with early stage tumours that remain localised to the bowel, this enables the immune system to attack cancer cells and reduces the risk of the disease spreading.”

Queen’s PhD student and first author on the study, Shania Corry, explains: “Our findings show that a viral-like response within a tumour can reawaken the patient’s own immune system to detect and kill cancer cells, an approach that has shown remarkable effectiveness in our tumour models.

“We used a synthetic analog of double-stranded RNA, which in many ways is similar to a non-specific vaccine. It looks like a virus to the immune cells though it doesn’t contain any viral replication material. This is a really exciting development, and we hope that this approach will now lead to new treatment options for patients with bowel cancer.”

Bowel cancer is the 4th most common cancer in the UK, with around 42,900 new bowel cancer cases and around 16,600 bowel cancer deaths in the UK every year. The study, published in Gut, to coincide with Bowel Cancer Awareness month, was led by Queen’s University Belfast in collaboration with scientists and clinicians across the UK and Europe as part of two international consortia funded by Cancer Research UK.

Dr Dunne added: “Our study highlights how research can provide clinicians with vital intelligence to make the right treatment decisions for patients in the clinic.

“We have already started the process of developing a clinical trial to test this new “personalised cancer medicine” approach, which has the potential to improve survival and enhance quality of life for bowel cancer patients in the next five years as we develop our work in clinical trials.”

This study used tumour samples from over 1,000 patients diagnosed with bowel cancer, which in turn required analysis and interpretation of the resulting data across an international network of multidisciplinary researchers.

Professor Owen Sansom, Director of the Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute in Glasgow and co-author on the study, said: “This exciting new research demonstrates how cross-disciplinary collaborations, between scientists and clinicians, are essential to ensure we comprehensively characterise a patient’s tumour, allowing us to test novel treatments specifically designed to target the biology of the disease.”

Professor Mark Lawler, Chair in Translational Cancer Genomics and Professor of Digital Health at Queen’s, who co-authored the study said: “This important study demonstrates how scientific research at Queen’s can develop innovative new ways to treat cancer.

“The work pioneered by Dr Dunne’s research team validates our investment in “rising stars” who have the confidence to lead team science initiatives with prestigious international partners, addressing global challenges which will improve the lives of cancer patients.”

Responding to the study, Dr Sam Godfrey,  Research Information Lead at Cancer Research UK, said: “An important goal for beating cancer is to work out how to train our immune systems to recognize the disease and attack it.

“So It is really interesting that we could manipulate one of the defences our bodies use to deal with viruses so that it can tackle cancer.

“Further studies are needed to assess the potential of this approach in patients, but it is an exciting development that could unlock new targeted treatments for bowel cancer.”

The research study was supported by an Early Detection project grant and International accelerator programme, both funded by Cancer Research UK (CRUK), with additional funding from the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Queen’s University Foundation, a charitable trust that funds the world-class research in Queen’s.

FIT for purpose: Bowel cancer test simplified to encourage take-up

Thousands more people across Scotland will benefit from the roll-out of a new and easier screening test to detect symptoms of bowel cancer. The Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) requires participants to collect one bowel motion sample, rather than the current test which requires samples over three days. Continue reading FIT for purpose: Bowel cancer test simplified to encourage take-up

Bowel screening test at Asda today

The Take the Test Roadshow aimed at raising awareness of bowel cancer and highlighting the benefits of screening to people in Lothian will visit Asda in Newhaven today from 9am to 5pm.

The tour will also highlight the importance of screening to fans attending the Hearts v Motherwell football match at Tynecastle on 2 March and the Hibernian v Inverness CT at Easter Road Stadium on 30 March.

The nation-wide, 34-stop tour will roll into locations across Scotland as part of the Scottish Government’s Detect Cancer Early campaign to encourage people between the ages of 50 and 74 to participate in the Scottish Bowel Screening programme.

Although almost 4,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year in Scotland, just over half (54.5 per cent) of those who are eligible to participate in the Scottish Bowel Screening Programme every two years, actually do the test.

Currently, take-up of bowel screening in Lothian is 52.4 per cent, so more people need to understand the benefits of participation in the programme.

A new campaign includes a TV advert featuring the voice of Still Game star Ford Kiernan to highlight that bowel cancer is the third most common strain of the disease in Scotland. The campaign carries the message ‘Bowel Cancer. Don’t Take A Chance. Take The Test’ to highlight the fact that bowel cancer is a ‘hidden’ cancer, because the early signs are often not visible.

The Detect Cancer Early tour will offer help and advice to people in Lothian on how to take the test and staff will be available to answer any questions around the disease. An interactive presentation will be on site to allow local people to view the new advert and to help illustrate the bowel cancer screening test. Roadshow staff will also give away toilet shaped air fresheners and mini toilet tissue packs to encourage local people to pass on the message to their friends and relatives.

Dr Dermot Gorman, Consultant in Public Health, NHS Lothian said: “Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in Scotland and especially when detected at an early stage, it’s highly treatable – nine out of ten people survive if it’s caught early.

“The signs of bowel cancer including blood in the bowel motion, can be unnoticeable and the screening programme is the best way to detect this. We would urge everyone between 50 to 74 years old to find out more about the benefits of taking the bowel screening test and to participate every two years.

“It’s important to break down some of the taboos around the private nature of bowel cancer and we welcome the Detect Cancer Early Roadshow to Lothian. This will help to raise awareness about this important public health issue.”

While the Screening Programme remains the best way to detect bowel cancer you should never ignore changes to your health. Local people are advised to make an appointment with their GP if they spot any unusual or persistent changes to their bowel movements, even in between screenings.

For information on the screening programme, contact the Scottish Bowel Screening Helpline on 0800 0121 833 or visit www.bowelscreeningtest.org