South Korea Finds Way to Slow Colon Cancer Growth

A team of South Korean researchers has discovered a promising new way to fight colorectal cancer, the disease that claims over 55,000 American lives each year and is now the leading cancer killer of people under 50.

Scientists at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology found that blocking a protein called NSMF can slow tumor growth dramatically and, in some cases, stop it completely. The protein helps cancer cells divide rapidly, but when researchers shut down the gene that produces it, tumors went into a state of permanent aging.

The results were striking. Mouse studies showed that blocking NSMF extended survival in 33.5% of cases compared to untreated mice. The tumors essentially stopped growing as cancer cells aged out instead of multiplying.

What makes this discovery particularly exciting is what didn't happen. The treatment left healthy intestinal cells completely unharmed. That's a game changer compared to chemotherapy, which damages both cancerous and healthy cells as it works.

Dr. Kyeong Jin Shin, who led the study published in Nucleic Acids Research, believes medicines targeting this protein could become a novel treatment approach for humans. The research team is now working toward clinical applications.

The Ripple Effect

The timing couldn't be more critical. Colorectal cancer rates in Americans under 50 have jumped 2.9% annually from 2013 to 2022, even as older adults see declining rates thanks to regular screenings.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently lowered the recommended screening age from 50 to 45 in response. Many doctors now suggest people with family histories start even earlier, around age 42.

Public awareness has surged recently, with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance reporting triple the usual traffic to its free screening tool. Medical experts attribute the spike to increased conversation about the disease and its warning signs.

Dr. Céline Gounder notes that late diagnosis remains the biggest killer. Younger people often dismiss early symptoms like changes in bowel habits or unexplained fatigue, assuming they're related to diet or lifestyle. Those delays can mean the difference between catching a treatable polyp and fighting advanced cancer.

The South Korean breakthrough offers something patients and doctors desperately need: a potential treatment that targets tumors precisely while preserving quality of life. As research moves forward, it represents real hope in the fight against a disease that's striking younger people at alarming rates.