Early detection of colorectal cancer risk in IBD patients
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Identification of a novel biomarker through molecular analysis to measure the colorectal cancer risk in IBD patients.
IRAS ID
321544
Contact name
Ailsa Hart
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
London Northwest University Hospitals NHS trust
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 9 days
Research summary
Individuals suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a group of conditions characterised by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, are at a significantly increased risk of developing colon cancer. Those patients with associated primary sclerosing cholangitis display a further increased cancer risk. Consequently, IBD patients are offered enrolment into surveillance programs, aiming to detect precursor lesions in their early developmental stages where curative treatment is possible. However, these programs are costly, invasive and of limited efficacy. In consideration of this, we would like to assess whether the molecular characterisation of colitis-affected bowel tissue can improve cancer risk prediction, by comparing the molecular signatures of bowel tissue from individuals who later develop lesions, to those who do not. The aim is to be able to identify and validate molecular markers, robust in archival tissue, that stratify IBD patients according to their risk of developing IBD-associated colon cancer. Furthermore, we would also like to compare IBD-associated colorectal lesions with colorectal lesions that occur in patients without IBD, also known as sporadic adenomas, to determine their evolutionary and molecular differences.
REC name
London - South East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/PR/0207
Date of REC Opinion
15 Mar 2023
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion