UC San Diego Study Links Childhood Bacteria to Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer

A new study by UC San Diego, published in Nature on April 23, suggests a bacterial toxin called colibactin may contribute to the rising rates of colorectal cancer in young adults, SciTech Daily reported. Researchers analyzed nearly 1,000 tumor samples and found that colibactin, produced by certain E. coli bacteria, causes unique DNA damage in colon cells during childhood.

This specific DNA damage was over three times more common in patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer before age 40, especially in countries with higher rates of early-onset cases. The findings offer a potential explanation for why colorectal cancer in people under 50 has doubled each decade for the past two decades, often without traditional risk factors. Scientists believe early-life exposure to this toxin could initiate tumor development years before symptoms appear.

Further research is underway to understand how exposure occurs and to develop detection methods. This study highlights that some cancers may originate from microbial interactions in childhood, potentially leading to new prevention strategies.