Then there are thoughts about the environment–like the abundance of microplastics that we breathe in and consume–or it could be our more sedentary lifestyle.” He said research is ongoing but there is no agreed upon evidence. The science is still unfolding, but Professor Molloy’s direction is clear: user-friendly screening, targeted follow-up, and a deeper genetic understanding of what drives this deadly cancer. His various avenues of research will hopefully find more answers and help redefine the future of bowel cancer care.
If successful, the research could lead to a test that helps prioritise patients for follow-up colonoscopies based on molecular risk –allowing those patients with the highest risks to be seen more quickly than current guidelines dictate. It is estimated 15,000 Australians are diagnosed with bowel cancer each year. “If you vox popped people in the street, a lot of people would be touched by bowel cancer in some way, if not directly, they would know of someone in their circle.” He said it is unclear why bowel cancer is on the rise, particularly amongst younger people. “Ideas include changing nutrition over time causing changes in our gut microbiome that are known now to be facilitators of some bowel cancers.
“Colonoscopies are a massive resourcing problem for the health system and patients can face delays,” he said. To address this, Mark and his team are researching a more personalised way to improve the timing of a colonoscopy for higher risk patients with polyps. They recruited patients undergoing a colonoscopy and collected small biopsies from polyps and nearby healthy gut tissue. These samples were then analysed at a molecular level. “We’ve now identified a number of genes that appear to be linked to higher risk, and this seems to be independent of polyp size,” he said. Following publication of this finding, the team is doing a follow- on study to confirm whether these gene mutations predict future polyp development.
Professor Mark Molloy
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