About 500,000 people in the UK live with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis.
Currently, they are offered regular checks for pre-cancerous growths in their gut, which, if detected, indicate about a 30% chance of bowel cancer developing over 10 years.
But the UK research found DNA changes in those pre-cancerous cells, when analysed by an algorithm, were more than 90% accurate in predicting who would develop bowel cancer over the next five years.
“Research like this will save lives,” Craig Foster, from Waterlooville, Hants, whose wife, Fariba, died of bowel cancer in February 2024, said.
‘Hugely exciting’ Marianne Radcliffe, of the charity Crohn’s & Colitis UK, said this was really positive news for those living with the conditions.
A dozen hours ago.
Dominic Hughes.
BBC News, health correspondent.
Research shows that a new bowel cancer detection technique is more than 90% accurate in identifying which individuals at higher risk will get the disease.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis, affects about 500,000 people in the United Kingdom.
These days, they are given the opportunity to have routine examinations for precancerous growths in their stomach, which, if found, suggest a roughly 30% chance of bowel cancer over a ten-year period.
However, an algorithm that analyzed DNA alterations in those precancerous cells was more than 90% accurate in predicting who would get bowel cancer in the following five years, according to a UK study.
In order to determine which IBD patients are most at risk, the researchers used tissue samples from IBD patients. It is hoped that their approach will be applied to the development of a straightforward blood test.
Craig Foster of Waterlooville, Hampshire, whose wife Fariba passed away from bowel cancer in February 2024, stated, “Research like this will save lives.”.
After having three-quarters of her colon removed when she was eighteen, Fariba had been living with ulcerative colitis ever since.
“I’m reassured to know that scientists are working to ensure that no one has to go through what Fariba went through,” Craig said.
After receiving a diagnosis, Fariba passed away six months later.
“It was the worst period, despite its brief duration.
Everyone is impacted by cancer in some way, regardless of their identity or background. “Cancer spares no prisoners.”.
According to Professor Trevor Graham of the Institute of Cancer Research in London, “The majority of people who have Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis will not develop bowel cancer.
However, people with these conditions who exhibit pre-cancer symptoms in their colon must make some difficult choices.
They either have their bowel removed to ensure they don’t get cancer in the future, or they have it monitored frequently in the hopes that it doesn’t develop into cancer.
Both of these choices aren’t very enjoyable.
“People with IBD and the physicians who treat them can make the best decisions regarding how to manage their cancer risk thanks to our test and algorithm. “,”.
“Very exciting”.
This is very good news for people who have the conditions, according to Marianne Radcliffe of the charity Crohn’s and Colitis UK.
People often tell us that uncertainty, both in the short and long term, is one of the most difficult aspects of having Crohn’s disease or colitis.
In the same way that inflammatory bowel disease is known to improve with early detection, so is cancer.
“It is extremely exciting to see anything that reduces uncertainty and allows for early detection through faster, less invasive diagnostic testing. “.
“Stop wasting resources.”.