SOUTHAMPTON scientists may have found a way to predict which bowel cancer patients are at risk of their disease spreading.

The team at the University of Southampton have identified a protein that could play a crucial role in indicating which patients need chemotherapy as they are at a higher risk of their cancer spreading.

They found that patients with low levels of the protein, known as FOXO3, had increased risk of their cancer spreading to other parts of the body.

By comparing levels of FOXO3 in tissue samples from patients with different stages of bowel cancer, the researchers found the protein was a good predictor of how aggressive a tumour is – decreasing levels of the protein were linked to more aggressive cancers.

Mr Marc Bullock, pictured right, study author and bowel cancer surgeon at Southampton General Hospital, said: “Our findings suggest that looking at levels of FOXO3 could help single-out which patients need extra treatment to help stop their cancer from coming back, as well as being a good potential target for drug development.

“Although other studies have looked at the role of FOXO3 in stopping tumours growing, this is the first time that such a clear link between levels of the protein and tumour growth has been identified.”

The study was part-funded by the Medical Research Council and Cancer Research UK.

Mr Alexander Mirnezami, co-author and bowel cancer surgeon at Southampton General Hospital, added: “As our research continues, we hope to identify lots of other new biomarkers that can help us adapt treatments based on individual patients’ tumour characteristics as part of a personalised approach to cancer treatment.”