MetaboCCC

Metabolomics is an innovative and powerful approach by which a large number of metabolites are systematically screened to characterize biological phenotypes with an unprecedented level of precision. New biomarkers that help characterize risk of progression along the pathway of colorectal carcinogenesis are urgently needed to tailor prevention strategies.
By investigating plasma from individuals free of colorectal tumors, patients with colorectal adenoma, and patients with colorectal cancer (CRC, stage I-IV), the newly formed MetaboCCC Consortium aims to investigate changes in the metabolome along the continuum of colorectal carcinogenesis. We will perform metabolomic analyses in 2,300 plasma samples derived from well-defined populations of four TRANSCAN countries (the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Norway) with assays completed at an expert site (France), using multiple discovery and replication sets to define biologic mechanisms of colorectal carcinogenesis. For a comprehensive and complementary strategy, we will apply both targeted and untargeted metabolomics.
We aim to a) determine preventive or predisposing plasma metabolites discerning adenoma cases from controls, b) determine plasma metabolites that characterize CRC, compared with controls or adenoma cases, and c) test for markers that discern CRC stages.
We expect that the discovery of novel metabolites in blood that define the transition between various stages of colorectal carcinogenesis can be used in the future for risk stratification, including for tailored prevention strategies by endoscopy.