This project will identify protein signatures associated with abnormal Wnt signalling in colorectal cancer to improve patient stratification and reveal new therapeutic targets. Laboratory studies will test whether drugs that inhibit Wnt signalling could improve outcomes for patients with aggressive disease.
What issue does this study address?
Bowel cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer-related death in the UK. Although many patients can be treated successfully, outcomes remain poor for those with advanced disease. Some patients do not respond well to existing treatments, particularly those tumours carrying specific genetic changes, such as mutations in the KRAS gene. For these patients, treatment options are limited and often rely on chemotherapy, which can cause significant side effects and reduce quality of life.
Many bowel cancers are driven by abnormal activity in a biological pathway called the “Wnt signalling”. This pathway helps control how cells grow and move but when it becomes overactive, it can cause cancer cells to spread and resist treatment. Not all patients with Wnt-driven tumours behave the same way and current clinical tests do not capture this difference.
What are the aims and how could this work help people with bowel cancer?
This project aims to improve how bowel cancer patients are classified by identifying a group of proteins that show how active a key cancer-driving pathway (called Wnt) is within each tumour. We will study patients’ bowel cancer tissue samples using cutting-edge imaging to measure these proteins in individual cells. We will then test, in laboratory models, whether drugs that block Wnt can slow cancer cell growth and spread, either alone or combined with current treatments.
By better understanding which patients have aggressive Wnt-driven disease, this research could help guide more personalised treatments, reduce unnecessary exposure to toxic therapies and ultimately improve survival and long-term quality of life for patients.
The research team
This research will be led by Mrs Amna Matly at University of Glasgow.