In the UK, around 120 new cases of bowel cancer are diagnosed every day. In a year that comes to around 44,100 diagnoses. Within that, 2,600 new bowel cancer cases are in people aged 25 to 49, and there’s been a 42 per cent rise in cases among 25 to 49-year-olds since the early 1990s too.
Work has been ongoing to examine why young people may develop bowel cancer, with experts believing that factors such as a lack of exercise, poor diet and obesity may play a role. Now, a new study has uncovered how exposure to a toxin produced by E. coli could contribute to the rise in cases of colorectal cancer in under-50s around the world.
While E. coli is important when it comes to maintaining a healthy gut microbiome, some strains can produce the bacterial toxin colibactin. The toxin is capable of altering DNA and these DNA changes are more common in younger adults who have been diagnosed with bowel cancer compared to those who are diagnosed later on in life.
Experts looked at 981 colorectal cancer genomes from patients with both early and late-onset disease in 11 different countries. They found colibactin can leave behind specific patterns of DNA mutations that are 3.3 times more common in early-onset bowel cancer cases than in those diagnosed over the age of 70.
“These mutation patterns are a kind of historical record in the genome, and they point to early-life exposure to colibactin as a driving force behind early-onset disease,” explained Ludmil Alexandrov, a professor at UCSD.
With the rise of bowel cancer cases in people aged 25 to 49, it’s crucial that everyone is aware of the signs and symptoms of the disease. Although some symptoms of bowel cancer can be caused by other conditions, it’s important to get any changes checked, especially if you have experienced symptoms for three or more weeks.
Dr Donald Grant, a GP and senior clinical advisor at The Independent Pharmacy, said bowel cancer symptoms can sometimes be mistaken for other health conditions. Dr Grant warned: “With symptoms often overlapping with other health conditions, it can be difficult to spot the signs of bowel cancer.”
The NHS states symptoms of bowel cancer may include:
In some cases, bowel cancer can cause anaemia. As a result, this may lead to additional symptoms such as tiredness, headaches and breathlessness. Having these symptoms can signal that you may have another health condition, though you should seek medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms that aren’t ‘normal’ for you.
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