Increased frequency of colorectal cancer among younger individuals may be due to a newfound explanation by researchers.
Gut Bacteria: A Silent Cancer Catalyst
It seems our gut's common inhabitants might be causing more turbulence than we thought. A recent study shed light on a potential link between a toxin produced by certain strains of Escherichia coli and an early onset of colorectal cancer.
This intriguing discovery was made by scientists at the University of California, San Diego, who published their findings in Nature this week. They observed a correlation between exposure to the toxin, known as colibactin, and colorectal cancers more likely to occur in young adults. The study's results could help explain the sudden surge in early onset cases, but further research is needed to confirm a causative relationship, as the researchers themselves acknowledge.
Colorectal cancer is a widespread concern, with approximately 150,000 American diagnoses each year. It ranks second in cancer-related fatalities, claiming about 50,000 lives annually. Despite a general decline in incidence and mortality rates, the number of colorectal cancer cases among young and middle-aged adults has been on the rise. According to the American Cancer Society, rates have increased by 2.4% per year since 2012 for people under 50.
The exact cause of the increase in colorectal cancer among the younger generation is yet to be identified. Some research points towards processed foods, higher obesity rates, and other lifestyle factors. However, this new study introduces another suspect—colibactin.
The research team's original objective was not to uncover the roots of the colorectal cancer mystery among young Americans. Instead, they aimed to explore why certain parts of the world report higher colorectal cancer rates than others. To do this, they analyzed the genetic profile of colorectal cancers taken from nearly 1,000 people worldwide. These samples included cases of both late and early onset cancer.
Colibactin is known for causing mutations in cells that could raise cancer risk. Previous studies have already linked colibactin to colorectal cancer. Intriguingly, colibactin-related mutations were found to be nearly three times more common in the early onset cancers studied compared to the late onset cancers. Additionally, these mutations tend to appear early in a tumor's development, suggesting a significant role in fueling those cancers.
The authors argue that colibactin could be a significant driver of early onset colorectal cancer. As Ludmil Alexandrov, a cancer genomics researcher at UC San Diego and the lead author of the study, explains, "These mutation patterns are a kind of historical record in the genome, and they point to early-life exposure to colibactin as a driving force behind early-onset disease."
However, colibactin isn't the sole culprit. The researchers note that colibactin-related mutations were seldom found in more rural areas of the world. This discrepancy could be due to factors like diet or antibiotic use in areas like the U.S. Other environmental exposures might also contribute to higher cancer rates in different countries.
While more research is needed to fully understand the role of colibactin in early onset colorectal cancer, this study paves the way for future investigations. The research team is exploring potential interventions, such as using probiotics to eliminate the harmful E. coli strains, and developing early detection tests for colibactin-related mutations.
However, the success of these endeavors depends on continued funding, which could be jeopardized by recent funding cuts from the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. Alexandrov expresses concern about the impact of these cuts on cancer research, not just in the U.S., but globally.
"The funding we've received has allowed us to collaborate with cancer researchers around the world, collecting and analyzing large datasets from patient samples in multiple countries. That kind of scale is what makes discoveries like this possible," Alexandrov states. "If NIH funding cuts impact our ability to do this work, that will be, in my opinion, a substantial hit to cancer research not just in the U.S., but globally."
- This new study published in Nature by scientists at the University of California, San Diego suggests that a toxin produced by certain strains of Escherichia coli, known as colibactin, could be a significant driver of early onset colorectal cancer, contributing to the rise in such cases among young adults.
- The research team is currently exploring potential interventions, such as using probiotics to eliminate harmful E. coli strains and developing early detection tests for colibactin-related mutations, which could have a positive impact on health-and-wellness and chronic-diseases management, if successful.
- The future of this research and potential advancements in health-technology may be compromised due to recent funding cuts from the National Institutes of Health in the U.S., as pointed out by Ludmil Alexandrov, a cancer genomics researcher at UC San Diego and the lead author of the study.
- Gizmodo and other health-and-wellness platforms should keep an eye on future research regarding the link between gut bacteria, colibactin, and early onset colorectal cancer, as understanding the roles of science, technology, and medical-conditions in disease development could lead to significant improvements in health and treatment applications in the future.
