Priyanka Tiwari
Share
Suspense crime, Digital Desk : Colorectal cancer is affecting younger people, particularly those under 50, at a faster rate than was previously detected. A recent international study suggests the cause may be the bacterial toxin colibactin, derived from Escherichia coli, which is associated with early life exposure. This study also highlights the reason for the surge in colorectal cancer cases at a younger age.
Key Findings of the Study
Global Impact: Colorectal cancer has been found to affect the youth demographic in a minimum of 27 countries.
Incidence Trend: There has been a consistent spike in the amount of diagnosed participants under 50 years of age, nearly doubling every decade in the past 20 years.
Study Scale: The researchers conducted a study on the genetic data of 981 tumors which were collected assessed from patients across 11 countries, assuming varying levels and ages of onset risk.
The Role of Colibactin and DNA Mutations
E. coli and certain toxins have been linked mutational marks left on colon cells, which are bound to alter and change over time. This distinctive signature was:
discovered 3.3 times more in patients diagnosed under 40 than those who were diagnosed above 70.
Found mostly in those who received exposure to the euphemism before 10 years old.
“Each of these mutations gives someone a head start by almost a decade or more in developing colorectal cancer if they have it by the age of ten," explained the primary researcher of the project, Ludmil Alexandrov from UC San Diego.
Genomic Evidence and Environmental Influence
Mutational Signatures: These observed patterns suggest the presence of early and consistent DNA damage associated with colibactin.
Regional Factors: Greater mutation rates were noticed in certain areas – Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Russia, and Thailand – known to have a high incidence of early onset cases.
This strongly points to local environmental exposures as causative factors.
“Colibactin is one of the environmental factors that alters the genome and is associated with the pathogenicity of colorectal cancer in younger patients,” Alexandrov stated.
Implications for Global Cancer Prevention
Researchers highlight the risk of underestimating the impact of localized environmental factors and exposure to carcinogenic agents on predisposing people to cancer at a younger age. With this, proactive public health policies might be possible to lessen the risk.
“Perhaps each country has their own unique, yet undiscovered causes for,” said co-author Marcos Diaz-Gay from the Spanish National Cancer Research Center. “This opens up possibilities for more region specific preventatives.”
