Why are scientists studying 70-year-old tumor samples at St Marks Hospital?

Researchers are using these historical samples to compare with modern cases, aiming to understand the causes behind the rise in bowel cancer among young people.

What is the 'exposome' in relation to bowel cancer?

The exposome refers to changes in diet, lifestyle, and environmental factors that individuals are exposed to over their lifetime, which researchers believe may contribute to increased bowel cancer cases.

How does early-onset bowel cancer differ from that in older adults?

Some studies indicate that early-onset bowel cancers may behave more aggressively, often leading to poorer outcomes for younger patients compared to older individuals.

Home / Health / 70-Year-Old Samples Reveal Bowel Cancer Mystery

70-Year-Old Samples Reveal Bowel Cancer Mystery

7 Jan

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Summary

Historical tumor samples from the 1950s will be studied.
Bowel cancer diagnoses in young people are rapidly increasing.
Researchers link rise to changes in diet and lifestyle.
Early-onset cancers appear more aggressive than older cases.

70-Year-Old Samples Reveal Bowel Cancer Mystery

A groundbreaking study is set to analyze tumor samples preserved for over seven decades to unravel the mystery behind the escalating rates of bowel cancer in young individuals. This initiative, dubbed the 'Boomers Project,' will compare specimens from the 1950s with current cancer samples.

Bowel cancer, the UK's fourth most common cancer, is seeing a concerning rise in younger populations, with diagnoses expected to double by 2030. Researchers theorize that shifts in diet, lifestyle, and environmental exposures—the 'exposome'—are driving this increase, as people in the 1960s lived differently than they do today.

Scientists are exploring various theories, including diet, microplastics, and microbiome changes. By employing advanced genome sequencing, the study aims to map DNA alterations, shedding light on how environmental factors have evolved and potentially informing new prevention and treatment strategies.