Latest news with #Fariba
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Algorithm study 90% accurate predicting bowel cancer
A new method for detecting bowel cancer is more than 90% accurate at predicting which higher-risk people will develop the disease, according to research. 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. The researchers used tissue samples from IBD patients - but it is hoped their method can be used to develop a simple blood test to identify those IBD patients most at risk. "Research like this will save lives," Craig Foster, from Waterlooville, Hants, whose wife, Fariba, died of bowel cancer in February 2024, said. Fariba had lived with ulcerative colitis since she was 18, when three-quarters of her bowel were removed. "It gives me comfort to know that there are scientists working right now so that no-one has to experience the same situation Fariba was in," Craig said. "Fariba died just six months after she was diagnosed. "Even though it was a short time, it was the worst time. "Cancer takes no prisoners - and it doesn't matter who you are or from what walk of life, everyone is affected in some way," Prof Trevor Graham, from the Institute of Cancer Research in London, said: "Most people with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease won't develop bowel cancer. "But for those that have these conditions and are showing signs of pre-cancer in their colon, there are some tough decisions to make. "Either they have it monitored regularly, in the hope that it doesn't become cancer, or they have their bowel removed to guarantee they don't get cancer in the future. "Neither of these options are particularly pleasant. "Our test and algorithm give people with IBD, and the doctors who care for them, the best possible information so that they can make the right decision about how to manage their cancer risk." Marianne Radcliffe, of the charity Crohn's & Colitis UK, said this was really positive news for those living with the conditions. "People tell us that one of the hardest things about living with Crohn's or colitis is the uncertainty - in everyday life and in the long term. "Just as with inflammatory bowel disease, we know the earlier you find out about cancer, the better. "Anything that enables early detection with quicker, less invasive diagnostic tests, removing some of that uncertainty, is hugely exciting." Dr Iain Foulkes, of Cancer Research UK, which funded the research, says advances in technology are reshaping understanding of diseases such as cancer. "Genome sequencing is now far cheaper and more widespread than ever before - and it's changing how we look at cancer," he said. "Getting a full readout of tumour DNA means we can see a much bigger picture of how someone's cancer started and how it is likely to change over time. "With this research, we can focus resources on treating people with IBD who are at really high risk, saving health services valuable time and money. "We can also give those at lower risk peace of mind and remove the fear of bowel cancer in the future."
BBC News
29-01-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Algorithm study of DNA proves 90% accurate predicting bowel cancer
A new method for detecting bowel cancer is more than 90% accurate at predicting which higher-risk people will develop the disease, according to 500,000 people in the UK live with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's and ulcerative 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 the work by the Institute of Cancer Research in London 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. The researchers used tissue samples from IBD patients - but it is hoped their method can be used to develop a simple blood test to identify those IBD patients most at risk. "Research like this will save lives," Craig Foster, from Waterlooville, Hants, whose wife, Fariba, died of bowel cancer in February 2024, had lived with ulcerative colitis since she was 18, when three-quarters of her bowel were removed."It gives me comfort to know that there are scientists working right now so that no-one has to experience the same situation Fariba was in," Craig said."Fariba died just six months after she was diagnosed. "Even though it was a short time, it was the worst time."Cancer takes no prisoners - and it doesn't matter who you are or from what walk of life, everyone is affected in some way," Prof Trevor Graham, from the Institute of Cancer Research, said: "Most people with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease won't develop bowel cancer. "But for those that have these conditions and are showing signs of pre-cancer in their colon, there are some tough decisions to make."Either they have it monitored regularly, in the hope that it doesn't become cancer, or they have their bowel removed to guarantee they don't get cancer in the future."Neither of these options are particularly pleasant."Our test and algorithm give people with IBD, and the doctors who care for them, the best possible information so that they can make the right decision about how to manage their cancer risk." 'Hugely exciting' Marianne Radcliffe, of the charity Crohn's & Colitis UK, said this was really positive news for those living with the conditions."People tell us that one of the hardest things about living with Crohn's or colitis is the uncertainty - in everyday life and in the long term."Just as with inflammatory bowel disease, we know the earlier you find out about cancer, the better. "Anything that enables early detection with quicker, less invasive diagnostic tests, removing some of that uncertainty, is hugely exciting." 'Focus resources' Dr Iain Foulkes, of Cancer Research UK, which funded the research, says advances in technology are reshaping understanding of diseases such as cancer."Genome sequencing is now far cheaper and more widespread than ever before - and it's changing how we look at cancer," he said."Getting a full readout of tumour DNA means we can see a much bigger picture of how someone's cancer started and how it is likely to change over time."With this research, we can focus resources on treating people with IBD who are at really high risk, saving health services valuable time and money."We can also give those at lower risk peace of mind and remove the fear of bowel cancer in the future."
The Independent
29-01-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Groundbreaking new test 90% accurate in finding patients at high risk of bowel cancer
Scientists believe a groundbreaking new test may predict patients at high risk of developing bowel cancer with 90 per cent accuracy. Research, published in the journal Gut on Thursday, could lead to blood testing for the thousands of Britons with irritable bowel diseases (IBD) ulcerative colitis or Crohn's who were most at risk of developing bowel cancer, and help avoid some invasive procedures. There are about 500,000 people living in the UK with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's, according to the charity Crohn's and Colitis UK, and bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK according to Cancer Research UK. Director of the centre for evolution and cancer at The Institute of Cancer Research, Professor Trevor Graham, said most people living with those diseases would not develop bowel cancer as a result, but the options for those showing signs of pre-cancer were tough. 'Either they have it monitored regularly, in the hope that it doesn't become cancer, or they have their bowel removed to guarantee they don't get cancer in the future. Neither of these options are particularly pleasant,' he said. 'Crohn's and ulcerative colitis are common and we need better tools to identify the patients at highest risk of bowel cancer.' Scientists from the Institute of Cancer Research worked with St Mark's Hospital to get samples of pre-cancerous cells from 122 patients with IBD. Within five years, about half had developed bowel cancer, and the researchers worked out those whose cancerous cells had lost or gained multiple copies of their DNA were far more likely to develop bowel cancer. The scientists then created an algorithm to calculate the risk of future bowel cancer based on the pattern made by the altered DNA. Prof Graham said: 'Our test and algorithm give people with IBD, and the doctors who care for them, the best possible information so that they can make the right decision about how to manage their cancer risk. We can accurately identify those people at high risk whilst putting the minds of many others at rest.' Craig Foster lost his wife Fariba to bowel cancer in February 2024. She had lived with ulcerative colitis, and had three-quarters of her bowel removed when she was 18. Mr Foster said the research, which was funded by Cancer Research UK and the Barts Charity, had the potential to save others in Fariba's position. 'Cancer takes no prisoners and it doesn't matter who you are or from what walk of life, everyone is affected in some way. Fariba died just six months after she was diagnosed. Even though it was a short time, it was the worst time,' he said. 'Research like this will save lives. It gives me comfort to know that there are scientists working right now so that no-one has to experience the same situation Fariba was in.' Study co-lead Professor Ailsa Hart said the hope was this finding would reduce the need for invasive testing for at-risk patients. "Patients with inflammatory bowel disease have a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer than people without IBD, and need to undergo assessment with regular colonoscopies to try to detect early signs of cancer. These tests are onerous and unpleasant for patients, imperfect at detecting early cancer changes and costly to health services,' she said. 'If early signs of cancer are detected, surgery, which involves removing the colon, is advocated. Finding smarter ways to assess these colons is much needed.' Prof Hart, who also leads the inflammatory bowel disease research unit at St Mark's the National Bowel Hospital, said this work could be 'readily translated' into practice and help patients with IBD and early cancer signs make decisions about surgery. Executive Director of Research and Innovation at Cancer Research UK, Dr Iain Foulkes, said bowel cancer treatment is 'far more likely' to be effective if the disease is caught early. 'With this research, we can focus resources on treating people with IBD who are at really high risk, saving health services valuable time and money. We can also give those at lower risk peace of mind and remove the fear of bowel cancer in the future,' he said.
