Colorectal cancer

The impact of our research

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in Australia. The prognosis is excellent when it’s detected early, but it can progress to later stages without noticeable symptoms.

For this reason, It’s sometimes known as a ‘silent cancer’. This makes QIMR Berghofer research even more critical, as we aim to improve detection and personalise treatments. Early diagnosis is key. The five-year survival rate for early-stage colorectal cancers is as high as 98.6%. For cancers diagnosed after they have spread (metastatic cancers), it is 13.4%.

We’re using cancer cells from individual patients to test the effectiveness of different drugs. The goal is ‘personalised medicine’ – treatments tailored for individual patients with fewer side effects.

We’ve developed the ‘Masterswitch’, an antibody that has produced remarkable pre-clinical results against the most common type of colorectal cancer.

We can better identify people at high risk of colorectal cancer, so they can adopt preventative measures.

About colorectal cancer

What is colorectal cancer?

Colorectal cancer, also known as bowel cancer, starts in the colon or rectum. These are both part of the large intestine.

It develops when abnormal cells grow in the lining of the colon or rectum.

Who’s most at risk of colorectal cancer?

Colorectal cancer can affect both men and women of all ages. You’re more at risk if you:

are aged over 50
have a family history of colorectal cancer as genetic susceptibility accounts for 15% of all colorectal cancers
have a personal history of inflammatory bowel disease.

While it’s less common, younger individuals can also develop colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common types of cancer but can often be prevented or detected early through regular screenings.

What are the symptoms of colorectal cancer?

The symptoms of colorectal cancer can vary depending on the stage of the disease. There may not be any noticeable symptoms in the early stages.

However, as the cancer progresses, common symptoms may include:

persistent changes in bowel habits, such as diarrhoea or constipation
blood in the stool or rectal bleeding
abdominal pain or discomfort
unexplained weight loss
fatigue or weakness
a feeling that the bowel doesn't empty completely
iron deficiency anaemia (low red blood cell count).

How is colorectal cancer treated?

Treatment depends on how far the cancer has progressed, as well as individual factors. Common treatment options include:

surgery: this is the most common treatment for colorectal cancer, and aims to remove the area of the bowel with the cancer
radiation therapy: high-energy radiation kills cancer cells and shrinks tumours
chemotherapy: anti-cancer drugs kill cancer cells or prevent them from growing
targeted therapy: medications specifically target certain characteristics of cancer cells, such as their ability to grow and divide
immunotherapy: while it’s not yet widely used for colorectal cancer, immunotherapy helps the immune system to identify and attack cancer cells.

Facts about colorectal cancer

15,000+

Australians diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2022.

71%

5-year survival rate.

15%

of colorectal cancers are attributed to genetics.

Our colorectal cancer research

Molecular Cancer Epidemiology

This lab, led by Professor Amanda Spurdle, studies genetic changes in known colorectal cancer genes to identify which variants are important for patient management.

“We are trying to pinpoint genetic risk factors for colorectal cancer. The main goal is to identify those most at risk early for better screening and management.”

Professor Amanda Spurdle

Conjoint Gastroenterology

This lab, led by Professor Vicki Whitehall, studies the molecular genetic alterations which underlie the progression of benign bowel polyps to bowel cancer.

“People with bowel cancer could eventually receive individually tailored treatment that is more effective with fewer side effects.”

Professor Vicki Whitehall

Molecular Immunology

This lab, led by Associate Professor Michelle Wykes, works on the immunology of malaria, cancer, and autoimmunity. In 2016, the laboratory discovered Programmed cell death1 Ligand 2 (PD-L2) was not a 'brake' on the immune system, but actually an essential activator of immunity. The lab has used this finding to develop multiple immunotherapies and diagnostics for the treatment of cancer and autoimmunity.

"Cancer cells are very good at hiding from the immune system but our 'Masterswitch' antibodies make the cancers visible again, so the dendritic cells can go back to work and 'organise' the T cells to kill the cancer.

These antibodies have shown excellent control of MSS positive colon cancer in models as well as cells from patients."

Associate Professor Michelle Wykes

Statistical Genetics

This lab, led by Professor Stuart MacGregor, studies the role that genetic variation plays in colorectal cancer. By developing and applying statistical genetic methods to gene mapping studies in colorectal cancer, the team aims to better understand why particular individuals are affected or why they respond poorly to treatment.

"We're trying to better understand why some people are affected by cancer, or why they respond poorly to treatment."