Barcelona researchers come up with method to improve colon cancer screening
IDIBAPS research institute develops project to provide better diagnosis of tumors, detect polyps and avoid unnecessary colonoscopies
colon cancer
Catalan researcher chosen for international colon cancer study
Head of oncology at Vall d'Hebron hospital will take part in worldwide Grand Challenge project
Catalan researchers open door to a new treatment against colon cancer
Barcelona Institute for Research in Biomedicine’s finding employs use of immunology against colon cancer and its metastasis
Barcelona’s Vall d’Hebron Hospital discovers the essential role of a protein for colorectal cancer cell division
This is a real stride for the cancer research. The effects of a protein called condensing on colorectal cancer have been found out by a team of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry experts, at the Research Centre for Nanomedicine (CIBBIN-Nanomedicine) at the Vall d'Hebon Research Institute. The researchers have discovered that condensin helps the tumor cells to divide rapidly, so its inhibition leads to the death of tumour cells. The results of this research were published in the 'Journal of Biology and Chemistry', and they constitute a real hope for the fight against colorectal cancer.
The key process behind the metastasis of colon cancer is discovered by Catalan scientists
Scientists from the Colorectal Cancer Laboratory at the Barcelona Institute of Biomedical Research (IRB) have discovered the essential process that allows colon cancer cells to metastasise. They have concluded that tumour cells need to form alliances with healthy cells in order to be able to colonise other organs. Tumour cells can survive in the transition period during the metastasis process thanks to a protein (interleukin-11), which is produced by healthy cells that are exposed to another protein (TGF-beta) present in the tumour’s microenvironment. This discovery may lead to new treatments and diagnostic proceedings for colon cancer patients. A test to predict relapse cases and target treatments is likely to be ready in 5 years. The study has been published by the prestigious journal Cancer Cell.
A pioneer study led by a Catalan hospital supports an easier way to detect colon cancer
Barcelona’s Hospital Clínic has coordinated a world pioneer medical study with 60,000 patients. The study has compared the effectiveness of early detection of colon cancer by using a colonoscopy or a specific analysis searching blood in the patients’ faeces. The findings have proven that both diagnostic tests are equally reliable. Considering the differences between the financial costs of both tests, health risks, and comfort, colonoscopy might only be used for confirmation or treatment purposes. In addition, from now on all people older than 50 might be regularly checked in an easier and cheaper manner.