TYPE: New Zealand Research Study
STATUS: In recruitment
GCF CONTRIBUTION: $75,000

Assessing dietary fibre to reduce GI symptoms in rectal cancer patients receiving radiotherapy 

GCF has awarded Dr Purcell and her team $50,000 for this valuable Clinical Research with the support of the Hugh Green Foundation. Funding for this research has been completed.

"New Zealand has one of the highest rates of colorectal cancer (CRC) in the world. We aim to classify CRC using gene-expression profiles in order to improve treatment strategies and outcomes. We will also study CRC microbiomes to determine the role of bacteria in the development of CRC subtypes." 

Outcomes include the following:

CMS1 is associated with right-sided tumours in females, node negative and poorly differentiated tumours. CMS2 tumours were predominantly left-sided and in male patients. CMS4 were more often found in younger patients, those with rectal tumours and higher stage. Interestingly, we did not find any prognostic benefit of stratifying tumours using CMS, in contrast to the published literature on CMS. In our treatment-naïve cohort, TNM remains the most useful method of tumour stratification. A manuscript has been prepared detailing these findings and submitted for publication.