Scientists discover new treatment for colon cancer

People looking to protect their digestive health in a bid to prevent colon cancer could be interested to hear about new scientific developments.

Scientists from Penn State University have developed a new type of medication that could be used to treat colon cancer.

The treatment, which combines a chemotherapy agent and a cancer-fighting antibody, is currently awaiting clinical trials.

Having already been approved to treat breast cancer patients, the agent is used along with other ingredients to mimic a natural anti-cancer protein found in the body.

Professor Wafik S El-Deiry, from the American Cancer Society, said: “I think [it is] probably the most exciting result, to be able to provide a molecular rationale for a new treatment combination for difficult-to-treat advanced colorectal cancers.”

Medical experts have urged people to increase their awareness of the symptoms of colon cancer in order to catch the illness in its earliest stages.

Almost 37,000 people are diagnosed with the disease in the UK each year, which is the equivalent to approximately 100 individuals per day.