Suicidal cancer cells
Developing drugs for bowel cancer
Bowel cancer (sometimes called colorectal cancer) is the third biggest cancer killer worldwide. About 50 to 70% of bowel cancers are thought to be preventable. Researchers at the University of Bristol are investigating the causes of bowel cancer and how a person??s risk of getting bowel cancer can be reduced.
One important factor in the development of bowel cancer is believed to be the diet. A ??Western?? style diet (high fat and red meat, low fibre) is associated with a higher risk of bowel cancer. In contrast a high fibre diet (rich in vegetables, fruit and cereals) may reduce your risk of bowel cancer.
One way that fibre may benefit us is through its digestion by ??friendly?? bacteria in the bowel. These bacteria break fibre down into chemicals known as short chain fatty acids. One in particular, called butyrate, has two important roles in the bowel. Normal cells in the bowel can use butyrate as a source of energy; however butyrate actually causes bowel cancer cells to die, essentially by committing ??cell suicide??!
Our team in Bristol University is interested in finding out how butyrate kills bowel cancer cells in the hope of discovering whether butyrate can be combined with other anti-cancer agents to make them more effective. So there is yet another reason for eating a healthy, high-fibre diet ?? it may help to ward off bowel cancer!
Submitted by: Helena Smartt, 23 June 2003
