The microbiome of bowel cancer patients aged under 50
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding bowel cancer in people aged less than 50 years – investigating changes to the microbiome.
IRAS ID
247212
Contact name
Caroline Young
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Leeds
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
not applicable, not applicable
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Research Summary
Bowel cancer is less common in people aged under 50, but worryingly is starting to become more common. Reasons for this aren’t clear, but changes in the ‘microbiome’ (bacteria within the gut) may be playing an underlying role. Research has shown that older people with bowel cancer have different microbiomes compared to healthy older people; however, this has not been studied in people with bowel cancer aged under 50.
The microbiome can be analysed from stool. We will ask people aged under 50 diagnosed with bowel cancer taking part in this study to collect a one-off stool sample at home. We will ask them to complete a questionnaire about bowel cancer risk factors and a 3 day food diary (as food influences the microbiome and certain foods increase the risk of bowel cancer.) We will access information about their bowel cancer from their hospital records. We will ask participants to consent for the use of some of their tissue (excess to that required for diagnosis and treatment) to be used for additional microbiome/molecular testing. Our controls will comprise:
- a group of people aged over 50 who have bowel cancer (the study components are the same as for the cases)
- a group of people who have been shown to have a normal bowel at colonoscopy (the study components are the same as for the cases)
- a group of healthy people (recruited from staff/students at the University of Leeds and staff at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust) (the study components are the same as for the cases except for the fact that there will be no tissue to collect and analyse)Summary of Results
This study closed early, and unfortunately did not collect sufficient samples to enable analysis or generate meaningful results.REC name
North West - Greater Manchester Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/NW/0647
Date of REC Opinion
22 Oct 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion