Researchers found that cancer cells from some aggressive forms of bowel cancer lost their identity and resembled cells from other parts of the body.
This “shapeshifting” ability of cancer cells to change form, known as cellular plasticity, is an important element in bowel cancer metastasis – when it spreads to other parts of the body and becomes harder to treat, experts say.
It is hoped that by identifying this crucial process and preventing it from occurring scientists could help make current treatments for aggressive bowel cancer more effective and prevent the disease from spreading.
Rising threat
Bowel cancer kills 16,800 people in the UK every year and is increasingly being diagnosed in younger people.
A recent study showed early-onset bowel cancer rates in adults aged 25-49 are rising in 27 of 50 countries studied and are growing faster in young women in Scotland and England than in young men.
Adaptive cells
The study, led by researchers from the University of Edinburgh and the Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, examined a particular gene called Atrx which was already associated with aggressive forms of bowel cancer.
In studies of mice and human tissue, the team found that losing this gene led to more metastatic tumours spreading from the bowel to the liver, lymph nodes, and diaphragm.
A key reason these cancer cells can spread is that they lose their original identity as bowel cells and start to resemble skin-like or muscle-like cells.
Experts suggest these cells may adopt skin-like traits, which are resilient to harsh conditions, to become stronger and more capable of spreading throughout the body.