(Press-News.org) Singapore, 18 March 2015- A multi-disciplinary team of doctors and scientists from Singapore has characterised the genetic changes associated with the spread of colorectal cancer to the liver. This finding is significant in helping to develop personalised diagnostic tests for patients with colorectal cancer based on the genetic changes present in each individual's colon tumour. The research team comprises representatives from National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS), Singapore General Hospital (SGH), Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School (Duke-NUS), A*STAR's Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and Cancer Science Institute Singapore (CSI Singapore) of the National University of Singapore (NUS). The findings were published online in Genome Biology.
Colorectal cancer is Singapore's most common cancer and incidence rates continue to rise. Most patients are initially diagnosed with an early stage disease. However, a proportion of these patients will develop a recurrence of the cancer (metastasis), typically in the liver, one to three years after their colon surgery. If identified early, the liver metastasis may be amenable to surgical removal, and cure may still be possible.
The Singapore team used leading edge DNA sequencing tools, some of which were developed in-house, including specialised laboratory techniques and computational methods developed at Duke-NUS and GIS to characterise genetic alterations associated with the spread of colorectal cancer to the liver.
Out of 750 genes measured, they found that every individual's cancer had a unique set of about 15 key genetic mutations. Whilst there was little overlap in the specific mutations present between 2 different patients, the large majority of the mutations found in each patient's colon tumour were identical to the mutations present in the same patient's liver metastasis. The team seeks to exploit this biological finding to develop new diagnostic tests in the search and identification of early spread of the cancer based on the genetic information found in the removed cancer from the colon surgery in the first instance.
Cancer survivors dread having their cancer recur. Even if this happens, we still have a chance to cure our colorectal cancer patients provided we diagnose it early. The research findings can have a significant impact on our patients' quality of life, and improve the precision of the treatment they receive," said co-author of the study, Assoc Prof Tang Choong Leong, Head, Department of Colorectal Surgery at SGH.
"Based on this study, we intend to customise a diagnostic test for each colorectal cancer individual. We will use the unique set of mutations present in that individual's cancer, as a barcode or thumbprint that we can exploit as innovative diagnostics to monitor for cancer recurrence and diagnose it early", explained Dr Iain Tan, co-lead author of the study who is a Consultant Medical Oncologist at NCCS and also a clinician scientist at GIS. The team has been awarded a grant from the National Medical Research Council (NMRC) to further develop this diagnostic test. Dr Tan cautioned that this R&D effort will take several years although he is optimistic that with this finding, further progress could be realised.
This study was performed in partnership with the POLARIS program, a strategic national program funded by A*STAR to translate local research findings towards "fit-for purpose" applications that improve the diagnosis and treatment of diseases in Singapore.
"POLARIS continues to seek opportunities to work with leading local researchers to enable the transition of their research findings from bench to bedside", explained Prof Patrick Tan from Duke-NUS who is a co-lead author of the study and the Program Director of POLARIS.
INFORMATION:
For more information, please contact:
National Cancer Centre Singapore
Rachel Tan
Tel: +65 6236-9535
Email: rachel.tan.c.h@nccs.com.sg
Edwin Yong
Tel: +65 6236-9465
Email: edwin.yong.c.y@nccs.com.sg
Singapore General Hospital
Rachel Kelly
Tel: +65 6236-5168
Email: rachel.kelly@singhealth.com.sg
Genome Institute of Singapore
Winnie Serah Lim
Tel: +65 6808-8013
Email: limcp2@gis.a-star.edu.sg
About National Cancer Centre Singapore
National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) provides a holistic and multidisciplinary approach to cancer treatment and patient care. We treat almost 70 per cent of the public sector oncology cases, and they are benefiting from the sub-specialisation of our clinical oncologists. NCCS is also accredited by the US-based Joint Commission International for its quality patient care and safety.
To deliver among the best in cancer treatment and care, our clinicians work closely with our scientists who conduct robust cutting-edge clinical and translational research programmes which have been internationally recognised. NCCS strives to be a global leading cancer centre, and shares its expertise and knowledge by offering training to local and overseas medical professionals. http://www.nccs.com.sg
About Genome Institute of Singapore
The Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) is an institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). It has a global vision that seeks to use genomic sciences to improve public health and public prosperity. Established in 2001 as a centre for genomic discovery, the GIS will pursue the integration of technology, genetics and biology towards the goal of individualised medicine.
The key research areas at the GIS include Systems Biology, Stem Cell & Developmental Biology, Cancer Biology & Pharmacology, Human Genetics, Infectious Diseases, Genomic Technologies, and Computational & Mathematical Biology. The genomics infrastructure at the GIS is utilised to train new scientific talent, to function as a bridge for academic and industrial research, and to explore scientific questions of high impact. http://www.gis.a-star.edu.sg
About Singapore General Hospital
Singapore General Hospital, a member of Singapore Health Services, is the public sector's flagship hospital. Established in 1821, SGH is Singapore's largest acute tertiary hospital with 1,600 beds and national referral centre offering a comprehensive range of 36 clinical specialties on its campus. Every year, about 1 million Singaporeans benefit from advanced medical care delivered by its 800 specialists. As an academic healthcare institution and the bedrock of medical education, SGH plays a key role in nurturing doctors, nurses and allied health professionals, and is committed to innovative translational and clinical research in her continual strive to provide the best care and outcomes to her patients. http://www.sgh.com.sg
Across a number of faiths and cultures, people tend to date and marry others who share their religious beliefs. Now, new psychology research from New Zealand's University of Otago suggests this phenomenon--known as 'religious homogamy'--is partially a result of inferences about religious people's personalities.
The researchers measured how religious and non-religious individuals perceive the 'openness'--a primary dimension of personality associated with intellectual curiosity--of potential religious and non-religious mates. They found that non-religious participants in ...
This news release is available in French. Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition (APrON) is a birth cohort involving over two thousand women and their infants from Calgary and Edmonton that was funded by Alberta Innovates Health Solutions and includes researchers at the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary. The main objective of APrON is to understand the relationship between maternal nutrient status during pregnancy and maternal mental health and child health and development. As part of the project, the APrON team studied the first 600 women in the ...
Lifestyle-related cardiometabolic risk factors cluster already in children in the same way as in adults, according to research from the University of Eastern Finland. A cardiometabolic risk score was used to evaluate cardiometabolic risk in different age groups. The results show that risk factor levels even lower than those generally accepted as risk factor thresholds for type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic vascular disease are harmful when several risk factors cluster.
In addition, a common mutation on the PNPLA3 gene associated with fatty liver in adults was found to ...
CRISPR-Cas9 is a powerful new tool for editing the genome. For researchers around the world, the CRISPR-Cas9 technique is an exciting innovation because it is faster and cheaper than previous methods. Now, using a molecular trick, Dr. Van Trung Chu and Professor Klaus Rajewsky of the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch and Dr. Ralf Kühn, MDC and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), have found a solution to considerably increase the efficiency of precise genetic modifications by up to eightfold (Nature Biotechnology: doi:10.1038/nbt.3198)**.
"What ...
Noisy and cramped conditions in trains, planes and airports are discouraging many commuters and business people from working while travelling, new research shows.
Sociologist Dr Donald Hislop and psychologist Dr Carolyn Axtell found that the most popular place to work was in vehicles in the car park of a motorway service station.
In a paper in the journal Work, Employment and Society, Dr Hislop, of Loughborough University, and Dr Axtell, of the University of Sheffield, say "significant variations" in noise and lack of space "inhibited people's ability to work" on ...
A new study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine revealed that 44 percent of adults with sickle cell disease who report trouble sleeping actually have a clinical diagnosis of sleep disordered breathing, including sleep apnea, which lowers their oxygen levels at night.
"Previous research identified pain and sleep disturbance as two common symptoms of adult sickle cell disorder," said Sunil Sharma, M.D., Associate Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University and first author on the study. "We wanted ...
The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) periodically releases Assessment Reports in order to inform policymakers and the public about the latest scientific evidence on climate change. The publication of each report is a key event in the debate about climate change, but their reception and coverage in the media has varied widely.
A study, published today in the journal Nature Climate Change, has for the first time analysed how Twitter, TV and newspapers reported the IPCC's climate evidence. Understanding how media coverage varies is important because people's ...
New findings from an international team of archaeological researchers highlight the complexity of geopolitics in Aztec era Mesoamerica and illustrate how the relationships among ancient states extended beyond warfare and diplomacy to issues concerning trade and the flow of goods.
The work was done by researchers from North Carolina State University, the Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional-Unidad Mérida, El Colegio de Michoacán and Purdue University.
The researchers focused on an independent republic ...
DENVER, March 25, 2015 -- The sweet taste and smell of antifreeze tempts children and animals to drink the poisonous substance, resulting in thousands of accidental poisonings in the United States every year. But today researchers will describe a new, nontoxic product based on a common food additive that could address this health issue and help the environment at the same time.
The presentation will take place here at the 249th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific society. The meeting features nearly 11,000 ...
DENVER, March 25, 2015 -- Water-borne algal blooms from farm fertilizer runoff can destroy aquatic life and clog rivers and lakes, but scientists will report today that they are working on a way to clean up these environmental scourges and turn them into useful products. The algae could serve as a feedstock for biofuels, and the feedstock leftovers could be recycled back into farm soil nutrients.
A multi-pronged nutrient bio-remediation system is the goal of a team of scientists who will present their research at the 249th National Meeting & Exposition of the American ...
