Chemoprevention of Colorectal Cancer: the Role of Non-digestible Carbohydrates

Colorectal cancer is a common disease worldwide. It is now thought that colorectal cancer cells arise from stem cells where the genetic material regulating growth and division of the stem cell has become defective. This leads to unregulated production of cells which in turn have defective genetic information and cancer formation. Research into colorectal cancer is hampered by the fact that studies must take a very long time to produce results and be very large if the development of a cancer is the endpoint. Therefore alternative methods of quantifying the risk of developing a cancer are required so trials can be a realistic size and be completed in a realistic time frame. The investigators have previously identified several candidates for these 'biomarkers'. The next stage in proving or disproving these as useful biomarkers is to test their response to a dietary agent that the investigators know reduces the risk of colon cancer.

Sex

All

Minimum age

16 Years

Maximum age

85 Years

Inclusion Criteria:

Attended for flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy and no macroscopic pathology identified

Exclusion Criteria:

* Age \<16 or \>85
* Familial polyposis syndrome
* Lynch syndrome
* Known colorectal tumour
* Previous colorectal resection
* Pregnancy
* Chemotherapy in last 6 months
* Therapy with aspirin/other NSAID
* Other immunosuppressive medication
* Active colonic inflammation at endoscopy
* Incomplete left sided examination
* Colorectal carcinoma found at endoscopy
* Iatrogenic perforation at endoscopy
* Colorectal cancer on histology
* Warfarin or other anticoagulant use
* Diabetes mellitus
* Crohn's disease
* Cognitive impairment

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