The study, published in Nature Medicine, examined biological variations using 189 tumor samples from patients ranging in age from their 20s to their 90s. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's Kimmie Ng helped lead the effort to understand why early-onset cases frequently present at advanced stages. The findings address a paradox where individuals under 35 experience worse survival rates than patients in their 40s or 60s despite undergoing more aggressive therapies. This extensive dataset now provides a foundation to identify targeted treatments for these high-risk cohorts.
Key points
The new database serves as the largest biological tool of its kind for isolating colorect…: The new database serves as the largest biological tool of its kind for isolating colorectal tumor variables.
Younger cancer patients consistently face more aggressive tumor profiles despite having h…: Younger cancer patients consistently face more aggressive tumor profiles despite having healthier baselines and intensive treatments.
Clarifying these distinct cellular differences will help researchers develop specialized…: Clarifying these distinct cellular differences will help researchers develop specialized approaches for early-onset colorectal cancer.
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For years, scientists have struggled to elucidate key biological differences between early onset colorectal cancer, typically in patients under the age of 50, and older patients. They’ve long believed that these cancers must be biologically distinct, since younger patients tend to be far more difficult to treat. They’re often diagnosed at later stages with tumors with more aggressive features.
“Their survival, especially for the very youngest patients under the age of 35, may actually not be as good as somebody in their 40s or someone in their 60s, despite receiving more aggressive treatment and being at baseline healthier,” said Kimmie Ng, a colorectal cancer researcher and director of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center. “So we have always believed tumors may be biologically different.”
On Thursday, Ng published a new study in Nature Medicine that may help illuminate critical differences between older and younger colorectal cancer patients. With 189 tumors, it’s the largest biological database — what researchers call a single cell atlas — of colorectal cancer tumors in patients ranging from their 20s to their 90s. The…
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