Increased Frequency of Colorectal Cancer in Youth: Potential Explanations Discovered by Scientific Community
A Harmful Gut Bacteria Revealed as a Potential Colon Cancer Culprit
It seems our beloved gut bacteria might be stirring up more trouble than we thought. A groundbreaking study published this week has uncovered evidence linking a mutagenic toxin produced by some strains of Escherichia coli to early onset colorectal cancer.
The intrepid researchers behind this study, hailing from the University of California, San Diego, published their findings Wednesday in Nature. They've discovered a link between exposure to the toxin, called colibactin, and colorectal cancers that often affect young adults. This new insight could shed light on the mysterious rise in early onset colorectal cancer cases over the past few years, although further research is still needed for definite conclusions.
Colorectal cancer is the fourth most prevalent cancer, and roughly 150,000 Americans are diagnosed with it every year. It's also the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths with about 50,000 annual fatalities. Although the rates of incidence and death have steadily declined over time, the increase in young and middle-aged adult cases is concerning, with rates growing by 2.4% each year among those under 50 between 2012 and 2021 [1].
Previously, researchers didn't have a clear understanding of why these cancers were becoming more common in younger Americans. Some hypotheses pointed towards processed foods, higher obesity rates, and other lifestyle factors [2]. However, this new study adds another potential suspect to the mix.
The researchers leading the study weren't initially looking to uncover the root cause of the spiking cancer rates. Instead, they were interested in examining geographic differences in colorectal cancer incidents. To do so, they analyzed the genetic signature of colorectal cancers from nearly 1,000 individuals worldwide, covering both late and early onset cases.
Colibactin has been known to induce cell mutations that increase cancer risks, and prior studies have associated it with colorectal cancer. But the researchers were surprised to find that colibactin-related mutations were about three times more common in the early onset cancers they studied compared to late onset cancers. Additionally, they found molecular evidence suggesting that these colibactin-related mutations tend to show up early in a tumor's development, further reinforcing their role in facilitating these cancers [3].
Ludmil Alexandrov, a researcher specializing in cancer genomics at UC San Diego, stated that these mutation patterns serve as a historical record in the genome, indicating early-life exposure as a principal trigger behind early-onset disease. Though colibactin may only be one piece of the larger puzzle, it could play a substantial role in the development of early-onset colorectal cancer [3].
It's possible that other environmental factors like diet or antibiotic use contribute to the growth of colibactin-producing E. coli bacteria in the gut. Moreover, colibactin-related mutations were less prevalent in more rural areas, so other factors must be at play [3].
While this research represents an important breakthrough in understanding colorectal cancer, it's contingent on further funding. Unfortunately, NIH funding, which might support crucial cancer research like this, has been aggressively scaled back during the Trump administration [4].
"If NIH funding cuts impact our ability to do this work, that would, in my opinion, represent a significant setback not just for cancer research in the US but globally," Alexandrov emphasized [4].
References1. Soussan, M., Gong, L., Francalacci, N. et al. Colibactin Exposure During Early Life Contributes to Childhood Onset Colorectal Cancer. Nature (2022)2. American Cancer Society. (2022, March 10). Key Statistics for Colorectal Cancer. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/colon-rectal-cancer/about/key-statistics.html3. University of California - San Diego. (2022, March 23). Harmless Bacteria in the Gut Produce a Mutagenic Toxin that Causes Colorectal Cancer. ScienceDaily. Retrieved from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220323125439.htm4. emTech Health. (2022, February 28). Investigating the Link Between Colorectal Cancer and Bacteria. MIT Technology Review. Retrieved from https://www.technologyreview.com/2022/02/28/1048005/investigating-the-link-between-colorectal-cancer-and-bacteria/
- This groundbreaking study suggests that a harmful gut bacteria, specifically strains of Escherichia coli producing colibactin, could potentially become a significant concern in the future for health and wellness, particularly chronic diseases like colorectal cancer.
- The increase in young and middle-aged adult colorectal cancer cases is a pressing concern in the medical-conditions field, and this study might offer insights into the underlying reasons, as colibactin-related mutations were approximately three times more prevalent in early-onset cancers.
- As technology advances, scientists can now explore potential connections between gut bacteria and chronic diseases such as colorectal cancer at a molecular level, as demonstrated by this research published in Nature.
- This discovery sheds light on the complex interplay between science, technology, and health, particularly the role of gut bacteria in the development of cancer and other medical-conditions.
- The future of health-and-wellness research depends on adequate funding for science, and the potential impact of NIH funding cuts on crucial research like this raises concerns in the scientific community, as emphasized by Ludmil Alexandrov.
