A new study finds that changing diets in young adults is the best way to prevent colorectal cancer. The Cleveland Clinic study identified dietary molecules that are key drivers of early colorectal cancer risk, particularly those linked to red and processed meats.
Early screening for colon cancer
Doctors may take a different approach to monitoring and screening for colorectal cancer in younger patients, says lead author and gastrointestinal oncologist Dr. Sunil Kamath.
“Ultimately, it is impractical to apply models of care for people over 60 to younger adults, simply because we can’t offer everyone a colonoscopy every year,” Kamath explains. “It is more feasible to give everyone a simple test to measure a biomarker of colorectal cancer risk, and then we can screen people at higher risk.”
Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer presented extensive analyses of patient data from individuals who received care for either early-onset colorectal cancer or those aged 50 or older at the Cleveland Clinic.
One previous study by the team identified differences in metabolites (molecules produced by diet) of early-onset colorectal cancer versus people aged 50 or older, while another identified differences in the gut microbiome between younger and older adults with colorectal cancer.
Dr. Nasser Sangwan, Director of the Microbial Sequencing and Analytics Resource Center, who co-led the work, then developed an AI algorithm to integrate and analyze datasets of existing studies and highlight the most relevant factors for future studies.
Surprisingly, Dr. Sanjuan’s analysis revealed that differences in diet – identified through metabolite analysis – accounted for a large proportion of the differences observed between patients who developed cancer early and those who developed it when they were older.
“Researchers, including our team, have started to focus on the gut microbiome as a major contributor to colon cancer risk,” says Dr. Sangwan, according to EurekAlert. “But our data clearly show that the main driver is diet. We already know the key metabolites associated with early-onset risk, so we can now move our research in the right direction.”
The team was excited to see the role diet plays in cancer, because it is easier to identify patients at risk by measuring the concentration of metabolites in their blood and studying the DNA sequences of bacteria in patients’ stool.
Dietary Overhaul to Prevent Colon Cancer
Younger colon cancer patients had higher levels of metabolites associated with the production and metabolism of an amino acid called arginine, and with products related to the urea cycle, than their older peers. These differences may be related to long-term consumption of red and processed meats.
The results of the study, published in the journal NPJ Precision Oncology on July 17, highlight that one of the best ways adults under the age of 60 can prevent colorectal cancer is to discuss their diet with their doctor.
Dr. Kamath says that while more research is needed to understand exactly how dietary factors cause colon cancer, his current findings have already changed the way he provides patient care.
“Although I knew before this study that diet was an important factor in colon cancer risk, I didn’t always discuss it with my patients during their first visit,” says Dr. Kamath. “There’s a lot going on, and it can be really overwhelming. Now, I always make sure to bring it up with my patients, and any healthy friends or family members who may come with them, to try to give them the tools they need to make informed lifestyle choices.”