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Chemotherapy doesn't just kill cancer cells. It also affects the microbes in the digestive tract. Researchers have discovered that some gut bacteria can reduce the side effects of these potent treatments, and that one family of cancer drugs may actually boost these protective bacteria. The phenomenon could help physicians to predict the severity of a patient's side effects, and it points the way to supplements that could help those whose guts aren't sufficiently protecting them. Turnbaugh's team found colorectal cancer patients taking a class of chemotherapy drugs known as fluoropyrimidines had less diverse microbiomes in their digestive systems. But the...

Fasting has shown its potential to reduce colorectal cancer risk by triggering cellular changes that may slow tumor growth, with a study demonstrating a 20% improvement in overall survival. However, lifestyle changes alone aren't enough for prevention. Fasting has been shown to activate autophagy, the body's natural process of cleaning out damaged cells and regenerating healthy ones. According to a review, autophagy plays a key role in preventing cancer development by maintaining cellular health and reducing oxidative stress. By clearing away cells that might otherwise turn cancerous, fasting may help the body maintain a more stable and resilient internal environment....

The transformation of healthy cells into invasive colorectal tumors is an extraordinarily complex process involving numerous molecular mechanisms, according to cancer biologists who have discovered that low levels of a single enzyme strongly influence the pathway to malignancy. The team highlighted an enzyme named GPT1, which stands for glutamic-pyruvic transaminase 1. Colorectal cancer is characterized by decreased amounts of GPT1, a metabolic enzyme with apparent functions in cancer progression. Li Xiong confirmed decreased GPT1 in CRC patients and demonstrated in a series of experiments that low expression of GPT1 was associated with worse CRC prognoses. "We analyzed transcriptomic profile changes...

Opinion Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with millions of new cases reported each year. In 2022 alone, approximately 20 million new cancer cases were diagnosed globally, and 9.7 million lives were lost to the disease. In India, the numbers are equally alarming, with around 100 out of every one lakh people diagnosed with cancer. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), more than 14 lakh cancer cases were estimated in 2023. [1 lakh = 0.1 million] Despite advancements in early detection and treatment, many myths surrounding cancer testing prevent people from undergoing timely...

Researchers have shown how a low-carbohydrate diet can worsen the DNA-damaging effects of some gut microbes to cause colorectal cancer. They found that a unique strain of E. coli bacteria, when paired with a diet low in carbs and soluble fiber, drives the growth of polyps in the colon, which can be a precursor to cancer. A low-carb diet paired with a strain of E. coli that produces the DNA-damaging compound colibactin—led to the development of colorectal cancer. The researchers found that a diet deficient in fiber increased inflammation in the gut and altered the community of microbes that typically...

Patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) harboring BRAF V600E mutations benefited from first-line treatment with the targeted therapies encorafenib and cetuximab plus a mFOLFOX6 chemotherapy regimen, according to the Phase III BREAKWATER trial. The findings demonstrated a 60.9% overall response rate (ORR) with the three-drug combination compared to 40% with the standard-of-care (SOC) treatment—chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab. In the experimental arm, 68.7% of patients had a duration of response of at least six months, compared to 34.1% of patients in the SOC arm. "This new regimen highlights the importance of combining dual-targeted therapy with chemotherapy." More than 150,000 people...

Researchers have discovered the mechanism linking the overconsumption of red meat with colorectal cancer, as well as identifying a means of interfering with the mechanism as a new treatment strategy for this kind of cancer. Meat is a significant source of protein and fat, as well as essential vitamins and minerals like iron, zinc, and vitamins A and B. However, as is the case with many things, eating too much of it is bad for you. Despite the strong evidence associating red meat with some cancers, the underlying mechanism is less clear. Now, researchers from the National Cancer Center Singapore...

Researchers have identified a promising new combination therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer that enhances the effectiveness of existing treatment while reducing harmful side effects. The study focused on regorafenib, a drug that modestly improves survival in mCRC patients but often leads to severe toxicities. By pairing regorafenib with a dual JAK/HDAC inhibitor at low doses, the researchers were able to significantly boost the drug's anticancer activity. For patients with metastatic disease, treatment options are limited and the prognosis is often poor. Regorafenib, a multiple-kinase inhibitor, is one of the few drugs available for these patients; but its use is hampered...

A short course of immunotherapy was found to be highly effective in a subset of patients with colon cancer. The treatment, which consisted of two cycles of immunotherapy prior to surgery, was effective in almost all patients. In two-thirds of patients, there were no longer any live tumor cells at the time of surgery. The patients' immune systems had cleaned up the cancer cells. These discoveries were made as part of the NICHE-2 trial. Patients with colon cancer with a specific genetic makeup, known as mismatch-repair deficient (dMMR) or microsatellite instable (MSI), were treated with one cycle of ipilimumab and...

For individuals without a family history of colorectal cancer (CRC), increasing the interval between colonoscopies for those with a first colonoscopy with negative findings seems safe and can avoid unnecessary colonoscopies, according to a study. Qunfeng Liang and colleagues assessed how many years after a first colonoscopy with findings negative for CRC a second colonoscopy can be performed. The exposed group included individuals without a family history of CRC who had a first colonoscopy with findings negative for CRC at age 45 to 69 years between 1990 and 2016, while the control group included matched individuals who did not have...

A blood test to screen for colorectal cancer in average-risk individuals without symptoms accurately detected the malignancy in 83% of people confirmed to have the disease, a study released Wednesday showed. The study was published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers said the blood test's accuracy rate for colorectal cancer is similar to at-home stool tests. It's a promising step, they said, to developing more accessible screening tools for catching the disease early -- when it's easier to treat. The test would could improve upon low levels of colorectal cancer screening -- a major cause of cancer-related mortality...

Yesterday the Expose published an article which highlighted just a few of the various diseases that were found to be potentially caused by parasites, including cancers. A recent review of nine published research papers by Doctor William Makis further supports the views in the article, but Dr Makis is more qualified to say “it is a reasonable hypothesis that COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Turbo Cancer patients could benefit significantly from anti-parasitic drugs.” One anti parasitic drug in particular, Fenbendazole, however, has not been sanctioned for human use by the FDA, but despite lacking “official” approval, it is cheap, safe and more...

Colorectal cancer (CRC) with synchronous peritoneal metastases (SPM) is a challenging disease to treat with a relatively poor prognosis. However, recent advances in treatment strategies have led to improved outcomes for patients with SPM. The optimal treatment approach for CRC with SPM remains controversial. A growing body of evidence suggests that comprehensive treatment, including cytoreductive surgery (CRS), chemotherapy, and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), may improve patient outcomes. A recent study evaluated the treatment strategies and outcomes of patients with CRC with SPM. The study included a large sample of patients and the findings suggest that comprehensive treatment was associated with...

Urolithin A, a metabolite of ellagitannins in pomegranates, boosts immune cells’ ability to combat tumors by inducing a process known as mitophagy. STORY AT-A-GLANCE Urolithin A (UA) has emerged as a powerhouse player in the fight against cancer, as it may naturally boost tumor-fighting immune cells. UA is a metabolite of ellagitannins in pomegranates that has anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects. UA “recycles and renews mitochondria” by inducing a biological pathway known as mitophagy—the process of cleaning out your mitochondria, allowing them to function at their best. This changes T cells’ genetic program, making them more able to fight tumors. In...

High levels of ammonia in tumors leads to fewer T cells and immunotherapy resistance in mouse models of colorectal cancer, findings revealed. Researchers found that ammonia inhibits the growth and function of T cells, which are vital for anti-tumor immunity. "We identified the mechanism of how ammonia dysregulates T cell function and showed that reducing ammonia levels using FDA-approved drugs for hyperammonemia can reduce tumor size in several different models including metastatic colorectal cancer," says Hannah Bell, Ph.D. "Use of this drug also synergizes with immunotherapy. If you treat mice with immunotherapy when you also treat them with this ammonia...

Regular physical activity can extend colorectal cancer patients' lives. In a first-ever study, scientists looked at the impact of exercise on the gut microbiome of cancer patients and reported a positive association. Researchers found physical activity was also beneficial to obese cancer patients, who typically have a less healthy gut microbiome. The team found that regular physical activity can aid in creating a healthy gut microbiome, while also reducing inflammation. These findings were reported in patients independent of their body mass index (BMI). "A patient who is active has a more diverse microbiome and lower abundances of colorectal cancer-promoting bacteria,...

New clinical research shows that lamivudine, a reverse transcriptase inhibitor widely used in HIV therapy, stopped disease progression in 25% of patients with fourth-line metastatic colorectal cancer. Findings from the trial raise the possibility of an unexpected promising direction in cancer treatment, not just colorectal cancer. The trial included 32 patients with advanced metastatic colon cancer whose disease progressed despite four lines of previous cancer treatments. The first nine patients received the standard HIV-approved dose of lamivudine. "After giving them only this one drug—nothing else—we saw signs of disease stability," says co-senior author David T. Ting, MD, of the Mass...

A new meta-analysis by researchers adds to evidence that taller adults may be more likely than shorter ones to develop colorectal cancer or colon polyps that can later become malignant. While the association between taller height and colorectal cancer has been previously investigated, the researchers say those studies offered conflicting results, carried inconsistent measures of height and failed to include the risk of adenomas, which are precancerous colon polyps. "This is the largest study of its kind to date. It builds on evidence that taller height is an overlooked risk factor, and should be considered when evaluating and recommending patients...

Actor Chadwick Boseman died last year at the age of 43 from stage 4 colon cancer. The “Black Panther” star represents a troubling trend of men younger than 49 who are at an unusually high risk of dying from colorectal cancer. According to a study published in the American Journal of Cancer Research, despite the overall reduction in the cases of colorectal cancer in America, there are geographical “hot spots” where cases of this potentially deadly cancer are soaring. June is National Men’s Health Month and it is critical that American men pay attention to their risk factors for developing...

A new paper in JNCI Cancer Spectrum, published by Oxford University Press, indicates that several non-genetic factors — including greater red meat intake, lower educational attainment, and heavier alcohol use — are associated with an increase in colorectal cancer in people under 50. In the United States, incidence rates of early-onset colorectal cancer have nearly doubled between 1992 and 2013 (from 8.6 to 13.1 per 100,000), with most of this increase due to early-onset cancers of the rectum. Approximately 1 in 10 diagnoses of colorectal cancer in this country occur in people under 50. Researchers have observed the rise particularly...