Stiffer Colon Linked to Higher Risk of Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer - Video

Our tissues can bend, stretch, and heal-but when they stiffen, trouble begins. A new study from the University of Texas at Dallas and UT Southwestern Medical Center reveals that chronic inflammation may literally harden the colon, setting the stage for early onset colorectal cancer (CRC)—a form of the disease increasingly seen in younger adults. Published in Advanced Science, the research uncovers how microscopic mechanical forces inside the gut may be driving this alarming trend.

Colorectal cancer is one of the world’s leading causes of cancer death. While overall cases in older adults have dropped thanks to better screening, rates among people under 50 have climbed sharply over the past three decades. Many of these early cases aren’t linked to inherited genetic syndromes, leaving scientists searching for environmental and biological triggers. The new study identifies colon tissue stiffness—caused by chronic, low grade inflammation—as a key mechanical factor that may help cancer cells thrive and spread.

Led by Dr. Jacopo Ferruzzi, assistant professor of bioengineering at UT Dallas, the team analyzed tissue samples from 33 patients—19 with traditional (average onset) CRC and 14 with early onset CRC. Each sample included both tumor tissue and nearby healthy margins to compare structural differences. Using advanced biomechanical testing and imaging techniques, the researchers measured how elastic or rigid each sample was. They discovered that both tumors and noncancerous tissue from younger patients were significantly stiffer than those from older counterparts, suggesting that this rigidity likely emerges before tumor formation.

When they looked deeper, collagen—the main protein that gives tissues strength—proved to be the culprit. In early onset CRC, collagen fibers were denser, longer, more aligned, and more mature, all hallmarks of chronic scarring. Genetic analysis confirmed that early onset tissues showed heightened activity of collagen related and inflammatory genes, as well as those promoting new blood vessel formation, which can fuel tumor growth.

By tying together inflammation, stiffness, and cancer biology, this study opens a promising new path for research—and possibly prevention. Targeting tissue remodeling and chronic inflammation early in life could help blunt the rise of colorectal cancer in the young.

REFRENCE: Nicole C. Huning, Munir H. Buhaya, Victor V. Nguyen, Afeefah Khazi-Syed, Haider A. Ali, Adil Khan, Angela Fan, Robert C. Fisher, Zhikai Chi, Indu Raman, Guangchun Chen, Chengsong Zhu, Mengxi Yu, Andrew R. Jamieson, Sara Roccabianca, Victor D. Varner, Cheryl M. Lewis, Emina H. Huang, Jacopo Ferruzzi; Biomechanical Phenotyping Reveals Unique Mechanobiological Signatures of Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer; https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202514693