This research will aim to identify mechanistic pathways linking diet to colorectal cancer
- Topic: Colorectal cancer
- Institution: Imperial College London
- Country: United Kingdom
- Status: Ongoing
This research will aim to identify mechanistic pathways linking diet to colorectal cancer
I’m delighted that my research project on identifying mechanistic pathways linking diet to colorectal cancer (CRC) was funded by WCRF. The proposed investigation will integrate dietary intake data with tumour molecular characteristics, germline genetic variation and metabolomic profiling, which will give novel insights into the role of dietary exposures in CRC development. Such insights, especially new evidence on biological mechanisms linking diet to CRC, can help optimize prevention measures, aid the establishment of future food/nutrient trials or trials on new therapeutic agents, and will inform public health messages aimed at reducing the burden of CRC.
– Konstantinos Tsilidis
Studies on large populations suggest that several dietary factors are associated with a reduced or increased risk of colorectal cancer. The Third Expert Report by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) identified strong evidence that eating wholegrains, dietary fibre, and dairy products reduces the risk of colorectal cancer, whereas eating red meat, processed meat, and alcohol increases the risk. However, the biological causes underlying the link between diet and colorectal cancer are poorly understood. Understanding these biological mechanisms would permit development of specific interventions for individuals at risk of developing colorectal cancer.
We aim to understand more about how diet is associated with colorectal cancer development on a molecular and cellular level. We will look at dietary factors that WCRF has identified as being strongly linked to colorectal cancer, namely: wholegrains, dietary fibre, dairy products, red and processed meat, and alcohol. We hypothesise that numerous biological causes will be found.
Examine the link between various food products and the risk of specific colorectal cancer subtypes in a large sample of the population. We will then explore genetic pathways that may cause this link, based on data we have from another large population study that focuses on genetic data. We can then study molecules that are produced during the metabolic processes associated with these genes to see if they affect diet and risk of colorectal cancer.
All of this information will then be combined and investigated to see whether there is a causal relationship among them, using a technique that considers the natural distribution of genes in human populations.
This will be the largest study of its kind and will give a definitive answer on how diet increases or decreases the risk of colorectal cancer. The evidence will inform public health messages aimed at reducing the burden of colorectal cancer.