A new method for detecting bowel cancer has been developed, showing over 90% accuracy in predicting which patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at high risk of developing the disease. The study, funded by Cancer Research UK, found that people with IBD whose pre-cancerous cells had lost multiple copies of their DNA were more likely to develop bowel cancer.
To identify high-risk individuals, scientists used genome sequencing to analyze samples from 122 patients with IBD. They created an algorithm that calculates the risk of future bowel cancer based on the pattern of DNA alterations in pre-cancerous cells.
The study showed that half of the patients went on to develop bowel cancer within five years, while the other half remained cancer-free. The researchers hope their findings could spare people from regular colonoscopies and surgery by providing a more accurate assessment of their cancer risk.
Around 500,000 people in the UK are thought to have Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis, both conditions that increase the risk of bowel cancer. The new method could give doctors and patients more information about managing cancer risk, allowing for better decision-making about treatment options.
The study’s findings were published in the journal Gut, and Cancer Research UK executive director Dr Iain Foulkes said: “Genome sequencing is changing how we look at cancer, and this research can help focus resources on treating people with IBD who are at high risk.”
Source: https://news.sky.com/story/new-bowel-cancer-detection-method-more-than-90-accurate-research-finds-13298882