Colon cancer is usually associated with aging, but a recent study published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature has revealed a new reason that explains the increase in cases among young people, which is an important step in understanding the development of this type of cancer, according to a report on the TV2 website.
According to the study conducted on 981 cases of colon cancer patients from 11 different countries, a specific type of toxin produced by Escherichia coli bacteria found in the intestines, known as colibactin, plays a role in causing genetic mutations that may lead to colon cancer.
The disease may begin silently from childhood.
The findings indicated that these mutations can occur very early, often before the age of 10, meaning that the genetic changes that lead to the disease may begin in childhood, according to Professor Ludmil Alexandrov, the study's lead researcher and a professor of cell biology and molecular biology at the University of California.
Alexandrov added that “someone who develops these mutations at the age of 10 may develop colon cancer several decades earlier, perhaps in their forties instead of their sixties,” according to Nature magazine, as reported by TV2.
The bacteria are found in 20% people
Dr. Jesper Berg Nors, a physician and researcher at Randers Surgical Regionshospitalet, described the study as “an important addition to understanding the mystery of colon cancer,” noting that “the bacteria that produce colibacin are present in about 20% of the population, but only cause cancer in a small group that leads to DNA damage,” according to his statements on Danish TV2.
This link between the bacteria and the onset of the disease at a young age is “completely new.” While the bacteria were previously known to be associated with certain cancers, such as bladder cancer, it had not been studied in detail in the context of colon cancer among young people. According to Norris, “The study is large and well-designed, but it doesn’t definitively prove a causal relationship, which warrants further research,” as reported by TV2.
Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers in Denmark.
In Denmark, colon cancer is the third most common cancer, and is usually diagnosed around the age of 70. Since the launch of the national screening program in 2014, targeting the 50-74 age group, late-stage diagnosis rates have decreased significantly.
Denmark's National Early Cancer Detection Program
The National Screening Program for the Early Detection of Colon Cancer offers all citizens between the ages of 50 and 74 the opportunity to undergo a simple test designed to detect early changes in the intestines before they develop into actual cancer. Despite the importance of this program, participation rates are only around 601,000 people, according to a report by the Dansk Tarmkræftscreeningsdatabase, as reported by TV2.
Nevertheless, a slight increase in colon cancer cases has been observed among young people aged 15 to 39, with 88 new cases recorded in 2022. However, this number is expected to remain stable over the next decade, according to the Danish Cancer Society, Kræftens Bekæmpelse.
Jesper Berg Norris confirms that “the factors that explain early infection with the disease are multiple, including genetics, lifestyle, smoking, and diet, and now it seems that bacteria are playing an additional role,” according to his statements on TV2.
This research represents an important starting point for understanding the mysteries of colon cancer development in young people, and researchers hope that the findings will help in developing preventive and therapeutic strategies that better target this age group.
