Grant: Project Grant

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and second leading cause of cancer death in Canada. When detected early, survival rates for CRC are dramatically increased and symptoms are substantially reduced. Colonoscopy is the standard for CRC screening in "high risk" adults (with a personal or family history of CRC and/or certain inherited syndromes). However, a tool or that can accurately predict the risk of CRC development among those who are considered "average risk" can be used to target certain individuals for earlier or more intensive screening. Only a handful of tools for risk prediction of colorectal polyps (common precursors of CRC) currently exist and solely include demographic, clinical and lifestyle factors. In this project, we will develop a colorectal polyp risk prediction model that improves upon existing tools by incorporating biomarkers from circulating blood. We will use two existing databases of consenting participants undergoing colonoscopy from two colorectal cancer screening centres in Calgary, AB and Toronto, ON, who provided blood samples and completed questionnaires on their lifestyle, diet and physical activity. We will select 400 individuals who had advanced polyps (cases) and 400 individuals who were polyp-free (controls) at the time of colonoscopy. We will examine relationships between biomarkers and advanced polyps and will expand a risk prediction model for advanced polyps using information blood biomarkers in addition to questionnaire data. Polyps are one of the earliest stages in CRC progression and their identification and removal can prevent CRC development. Risk prediction models that combine demographic, clinical and lifestyle factors, in addition to biological blood markers, may provide a unique opportunity to increase the effectiveness of CRC screening among "average risk" adults.