PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Gut microbes may be a risk factor for colorectal cancer

Findings have potential implications for prevention and treatment of the second leading cause of cancer death in the US

2013-12-07
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Lorinda Klein
lorindaann.klein@nyumc.org
212-404-3533
NYU Langone Medical Center / New York University School of Medicine
Gut microbes may be a risk factor for colorectal cancer Findings have potential implications for prevention and treatment of the second leading cause of cancer death in the US (New York City) December 6, 2013 -- In one of the largest epidemiological studies of human gut bacteria and colorectal cancer ever conducted, a team of researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center has found a clear association between gut bacteria and colorectal cancer. The study, published today in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, discovered that colorectal cancer patients had fewer beneficial bacteria and more harmful bacteria than people without the disease.

"Our findings are important because identification of these microbes may open the door for colorectal cancer prevention and treatment," says Jiyoung Ahn, PhD, assistant professor of population health, and a member of NYU Cancer Institute, who led the study.

The human gut hosts thousands of bacteria, which play an important role in regulating food digestion and inflammation. Mounting evidence links gut microbes to colorectal cancer, a condition diagnosed in 143,000 people in the U.S. each year. The disease kills an estimated 51,000 Americans, second only to lung cancer. However, it is not well understood why colorectal cancer develops.

The researchers compared the DNA composition of intestinal microbes in the stool samples of 141 colorectal cancer patients and healthy volunteers. They found that samples from colorectal-cancer patients had larger populations of Fusobacteria than healthy volunteers. Fusobacteria commonly found in the mouth and gastrointestinal track, are associated with gut inflammation.

Moreover, case samples were more likely than the controls to be depleted of Clostridia, a class of beneficial gut bacteria that help digest dietary fiber and carbohydrates.

"Our next step is to study how diet and lifestyle factors modulate these gut bacteria associated with colorectal cancer. This may lead to ways to prevent this disease" says Dr. Ahn.

### This research was supported through funding from the National Institutes of Health. Key collaborators include Liying Yang, MD, research assistant professor of Medicine.

About NYU Langone Medical Center NYU Langone Medical Center, a world-class, patient-centered, integrated, academic medical center, is one on the nation's premier centers for excellence in clinical care, biomedical research and medical education. Located in the heart of Manhattan, NYU Langone is composed of four hospitals – Tisch Hospital, its flagship acute care facility; the Hospital for Joint Diseases, one of only five hospitals in the nation dedicated to orthopaedics and rheumatology; Hassenfeld Pediatric Center, a comprehensive pediatric hospital supporting a full array of children's health services; and the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, the world's first university-affiliated facility devoted entirely to rehabilitation medicine– plus NYU School of Medicine, which since 1841 has trained thousands of physicians and scientists who have helped to shape the course of medical history. The medical center's tri-fold mission to serve, teach and discover is achieved 365 days a year through the seamless integration of a culture devoted to excellence in patient care, education and research. For more information, go to http://www.NYULMC.org. Contact: Lorinda Klein
NYU Langone Medical Center
212.404.3533
917.693.4846
Lorindaann.klein@nyumc.org


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

NIST calibration tools to encourage use of novel medical imaging technique

2013-12-07
NIST calibration tools to encourage use of novel medical imaging technique The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed prototype calibration tools for an experimental medical imaging technique that offers ...

Cancer-promoting protein is vital to safe division of tumor cells

2013-12-07
Cancer-promoting protein is vital to safe division of tumor cells PKM2 controls mitosis, saving cancer cells from death and promoting brain tumor growth HOUSTON – Researchers have caught a protein they previously implicated in a variety ...

CU researchers may have discovered a plan to disable Meniere's disease

2013-12-07
CU researchers may have discovered a plan to disable Meniere's disease AURORA, Colo. (Dec. 6, 2013) Researchers at University of Colorado School of Medicine may have figured out what causes Meniere's disease and how to attack it. According to ...

Atlantic Ocean's system 90L gets an infrared NASA look

2013-12-07
Atlantic Ocean's system 90L gets an infrared NASA look NASA's infrared instrument called AIRS that flies aboard the Aqua satellite gave scientists another look at the clouds and convection happening in a non-tropical low pressure area that's struggling to organize ...

NASA satellite catches birth of Tropical Cyclone 06B

2013-12-07
NASA satellite catches birth of Tropical Cyclone 06B NASA's Aqua satellite provided visible and infrared satellite imagery to forecasters helping confirm the birth of the sixth tropical cyclone of the Northern Indian Ocean cyclone season. Tropical Cyclone 06B, ...

Clinical waste may prove valuable for monitoring treatment response in ovarian cancer

2013-12-07
Clinical waste may prove valuable for monitoring treatment response in ovarian cancer Novel device able to isolate, analyze cancer cells from usually discarded abdominal fluid A microchip-based device developed by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) ...

To improve foster care, add a psychiatric nurse to treatment team

2013-12-07
To improve foster care, add a psychiatric nurse to treatment team Nurses bring fresh perspective to caring for troubled teens, Saint Louis U researcher finds ST. LOUIS -- Psychiatric nurses offer a missing and critical point of view in treating adolescents in foster ...

H7N9 influenza virus not adapted to efficient human-to-human transmission

2013-12-07
H7N9 influenza virus not adapted to efficient human-to-human transmission WHAT: The avian H7N9 influenza virus that emerged earlier this year in China is poorly adapted for sustained transmission between humans, suggesting ...

Stanford scientists probe abandoned mine for clues about permanent CO2 sequestration

2013-12-07
Stanford scientists probe abandoned mine for clues about permanent CO2 sequestration VIDEO: Stanford University Professor Kate Maher is exploring ways to convert carbon ...

Quality of biodiversity, not just quantity, is key

2013-12-07
Quality of biodiversity, not just quantity, is key Right mix of species is needed for conservation DURHAM, N.C. -- For years, scientists have believed that preserving more species, no matter which ones, is a key component to enhancing how well an ecosystem performs. Not so ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Youngest in class at higher risk of mental health problems

American Heart Association announces new volunteer leaders for 2025-26

Gut microbiota analysis can help catch gestational diabetes

FAU’s Paulina DeVito awarded prestigious NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

Champions for change – Paid time off initiative just made clinical trials participation easier

Fentanyl detection through packaging

Prof. Eran Meshorer elected to EMBO for pioneering work in epigenetics

New 3D glacier visualizations provide insights into a hotter Earth

Creativity across disciplines

Consequences of low Antarctic sea ice

Hear here: How loudness and acoustic cues help us judge where a speaker is facing

A unique method of rare-earth recycling can strengthen the raw material independence of Europe and America

Epilepsy self-management program shows promise to control seizures, improve mood and quality of life

Fat may play an important role in brain metabolism

New study finds no lasting impact of pandemic pet ownership on human well-being

New insights on genetic damage of some chemotherapies could guide future treatments with less harmful side effects

Gut microbes could protect us from toxic ‘forever chemicals’

Novel modelling links sea ice loss to Antarctic ice shelf calving events

Scientists can tell how fast you're aging from a single brain scan

U.S. uterine cancer incidence and mortality rates expected to significantly increase by 2050

Public take the lead in discovery of new exploding star

What are they vaping? Study reveals alarming surge in adolescent vaping of THC, CBD, and synthetic cannabinoids

ECMWF - delivering forecasts over 10 times faster and cutting energy usage by 1000

Brazilian neuroscientist reveals how viral infections transform the brain through microscopic detective work

Turning social fragmentation into action through discovering relatedness

Cheese may really be giving you nightmares, scientists find

Study reveals most common medical emergencies in schools

Breathable yet protective: Next-gen medical textiles with micro/nano networks

Frequency-engineered MXene supercapacitors enable efficient pulse charging in TENG–SC hybrid systems

Developed an AI-based classification system for facial pigmented lesions

[Press-News.org] Gut microbes may be a risk factor for colorectal cancer
Findings have potential implications for prevention and treatment of the second leading cause of cancer death in the US