Colon cancer breakthrough could lead to prevention

Colon cancer, Crohn's, and other gut diseases could be better treated or prevented, thanks to a new link between inflammation and a common cellular process, found by University of Warwick. Autophagy - an essential process whereby cells break down and recycle harmful elements to keep our bodies healthy - causes tissue inflammation when dysfunctional, which in turn leaves us susceptible to diseases, particularly in the gut Pomegranates, red grapes, pears, mushrooms, lentils, soybeans and green peas contain natural compounds which can activate autophagy, helping to prevent inflammation and gut diseases. New link could lead to more effective treatments for diseases - giving healthcare professionals ability to target root cause of disease, by regulating autophagy Paper published Colon cancer, Crohn's, and other diseases of the gut could be better treated - or even prevented - thanks to a new link between inflammation and a common cellular process, established by the University of Warwick. Led by Dr Ioannis Nezis at Warwick's School of Life Sciences, new research demonstrates that autophagy - an essential process whereby cells break down and recycle harmful or damaged elements within themselves to keep our bodies healthy - causes tissue inflammation when dysfunctional, which in turn leaves us susceptible to harmful diseases, particularly in the gut. Understanding this link could lead to more effective treatments for gut diseases - such as colon cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis - giving healthcare professionals the ability to target the root cause of these diseases, by regulating and controlling autophagy.