BOSTON —
Boston-based researchers announced Wednesday the discovery of new biological clues about why colorectal cancer can behave more aggressively in young patients.
The findings are based on the analysis of 189 tumors from patients, including 54 who were diagnosed with the cancer before age 50. Researchers measured gene activity in hundreds of thousands of cells and found patterns linked to chemotherapy resistance.
The team, which consisted of researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Mass General Brigham, the Broad Institute and the Gene Lay Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, published their work in “Nature Medicine.”
“Among tumors of the most common colorectal cancer subtype, younger patients’ tumors had a significantly higher proportion of connective and supporting cells relative to cancer cells,” according to an announcement from the group. “A higher proportion of connective and supporting cells has been linked to chemotherapy resistance in several types of solid cancer.”
Scientists also reported evidence in younger patients of stronger “signaling” between cells that can help the cancer move into nearby tissue.
Additionally, the researchers said that they found RNA differences in tumors from younger patients.
“Younger patients also had higher activity of long non-coding RNAs, molecules that can regulate genes without making proteins. Some appeared repeatedly across different types of cancer cells. Many are ‘dark’ RNAs, whose functions remain largely unknown,” the group said.
While the researchers described their work as providing “key insight” into tumors in young individuals, they said it does not yet offer proof linking the differences to more aggressive disease.
“This work sets the stage for future mechanistic studies on how these cell programs interact with chemicals from the diet and from gut microbes to cause early-onset colorectal cancer,” said Dr. Ramnik J. Xavier, one of the lead researchers.