A diet high in red meat has been found to be linked with colorectal cancer in volunteer studies.
This is due to DNA damage in the cells that line the colon. Scientists at the Open University have developed methods for the measurement of this damage, and indeed found higher levels of DNA damage in volunteers consuming a high red meat diet. It is possible that cancer may be prevented by the appropriate dietary advice. Alternatively, if we are able to detect this type of DNA damage before cancer has a chance to develop then prevention could be much more effective. Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK, affecting around 36,000 people each year.
The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has awarded scientists at the Open University a £50,000 grant for a one year pilot study to produce inexpensive disposable sensors for the non-invasive monitoring of cancer biomarkers in urine samples. Immunosensors based on screen-printed carbon electrodes have been chosen as the most appropriate method for large scale screening studies. This new generation of sensors would be rapid, user-friendly and robust for the clinical monitoring at the physician’s office or at the patient home, without the need of sending samples to a laboratory for analysis.
Leading the study is Dr. Maria Velasco-Garcia at the Department of Chemistry and Analytical Sciences. “We are very excited about this piece of research. By developing an affordable urine test to look for early signs of colon cancer many more people could be screened and given advice on how to reduce their risk” says Dr. Velasco-Garcia.
The team at the Open University will work with partners Dr. Sheila Bingham from MRC at Cambridge University and Dr.Sharon Moore at Liverpool John Moores University to optimise and validate the new test.
