Early detection of colon cancer is vital to survival. Fiona Tyrrell reports on two clinical breakthroughs
Two clinical research teams in Ireland are developing new tests and approaches to screening colon cancer here, which could see deaths from the cancer reduced by a third, according to Prof Colm O'Morain, consultant gastroenterologist at Tallaght Hospital
The incidence of colon cancer in Ireland is the second-highest in Europe, and it is the second-most common cause of death from cancer in the State. More than half of people diagnosed with the disease die from it. However, if colon cancer can be detected early, the prognosis is excellent with 97 per cent of patients surviving beyond five years.
Researchers at Tallaght Hospital have given a promising new screening test its first independent trial and have found it detected 97 per cent of cancer and 76 per cent of pre-cancerous colonic polyps.
Developed in Germany, the screening kit looks for the presence of an enzyme, which is closely associated with several cancers, in stools.
The trials were done on proven cases of colon cancer, so the next step, according to O'Morain, is to test the kit on a pilot population basis.
Currently there is no systemic screening for colon cancer in the general population in Ireland. The alternative being used in Ireland is a test for blood in the stool, which is relatively cheap and quick, but only about one-third as effective as a colonoscopy and it misses up to 50 per cent of cancers.
The Tallaght team believe that the test has great promise in detecting colon cancer as it is ideal for automated mass screening.
The results from this research is significant, according to O'Morain. An effective screening system could reduce mortality by one-third, preventing as many as 600 deaths a year in Ireland, more than the number of people killed on our roads every year, he says.
The breakthrough in Tallaght is one of 68 Irish health research projects profiled in a report launched today by the Health Research Board (HRB), which spent €8.25 million on health research funding last year.
From tackling global challenges such as cancer and diabetes and understanding why cannabis is bad for young brains, the report shows that Irish research is promoting better understanding, more effective treatments, preventative approaches and greater efficiency through new technology, according to Prof Desmond Fitzgerald, HRB chairman.
Meanwhile at St Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin, researchers have validated a new screening test for familial forms of colon cancer.
Five per cent of all colon cancers are known to be inherited. Most familial colon cancers develop when someone lacks a working version of one of the enzymes responsible for repairing errors in DNA, most notably multiple copies of short DNA sequences. The new test validated in St Vincent's works by screening for certain short DNA sequences.
Researchers in St Vincent's, led by Dr Kieran Sheahan, found that the test successfully picks up 60 per cent of known familial cases, which constitutes 3 per cent of all colon cancers. This test complements an existing antibody test that can tell which DNA repair enzymes are present or absent, according to the team.
Dr Sheahan believes all colon cancer patients should be screened with these tests so that other "at risk" relatives can be identified quickly.