Upbeat850,000 tumour cells later, scientists can finally see why bowel cancer hits younger people harder
Colorectal cancer is rising in people under 50 — up 2.9% a year in the USA from 2013 to 2022 — and it is now the leading cause of cancer death in that age group, yet its biology in younger bodies was largely unmapped. Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Mass General Brigham and the Broad Institute have built the largest atlas of its kind: 189 tumours from patients aged 29 to over 90, with gene activity measured in more than 850,000 individual cells, published in Nature Medicine. Tumours from younger patients carried a higher share of connective, supporting cells — a pattern linked to chemotherapy resistance — and stronger signals that help cancer cells move. 'Our ultimate goal is to discover novel strategies for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for our young patients,' said co-senior author Kimmie Ng. A map is not a cure, but every route to one starts with knowing the terrain.
SDG 3 · Good health and well-being — Mechanism: tech innovation