EurekAlert! In the Spotlight

Welcome to In the Spotlight, where each month we shine a light on something exciting, timely, or simply fascinating from the world of science.

This month, we’re spotlighting colorectal cancer research in recognition of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Here, we’ll share the latest research on colorectal cancer, how scientists are working to better understand its risk factors and progression, advances in screening and early detection, improvements in treatment and care, and more.

Latest News Releases

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 21-Oct-2026 05:15 ET (21-Oct-2026 09:15 GMT/UTC)

1-Jun-2026

New global analysis confirms alcohol’s complex relationship with health: clear cancer risks and chronic liver diseases at any level, mixed evidence for other cardiometabolic conditions

Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington provides the most comprehensive and conservative analysis to date of the relationship between alcohol consumption and 20 major health outcomes.

Journal: Nature Health

31-May-2026

ASCO: Targeted therapy combo nearly doubles time without disease progression for patients with advanced colorectal cancer

University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Meeting Announcement

CHICAGO, MAY 31, 2026 ― Updated results from the Phase 3 BREAKWATER trial, led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, demonstrated a 56% reduction in the risk of disease progression or death for patients with BRAF V600E mutant metastatic colorectal cancer treated with a targeted therapy combination.

28-May-2026

ASCO 2026: Ohio State researchers highlight cancer drug donation program, lung and breast cancer treatment, Lynch syndrome screening, access to clinical trials and more

Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Reports and Proceedings

OSUCCC – James researchers will present new findings at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting, including a program that helps patients get donated oral drugs faster, new insights into colon and breast cancer, and ongoing accessibility gaps across communities in clinical trials.

Meeting: American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting 2026

28-May-2026

A new AI model enables more efficient analysis of colorectal cancer samples

University of Jyväskylä - Jyväskylän yliopisto
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at the Faculty of Information Technology at the University of Jyväskylä have used artificial intelligence to speed up the analysis of colorectal cancer samples and predict the functioning of the cells’ DNA repair mechanism. The AI model's analysis can help shorten diagnosis times, reduce costs, and improve the analysis's accuracy. The research was conducted in collaboration with the Central Finland Welfare Region and is co-funded by the European Union.

Journal: Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine

27-May-2026

Colorectal cancer risk linked to gut microbiome alterations

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Peer-Reviewed Publication

More than a decade after removal of an adenoma—a precancerous mass—from the colon, alterations to the gut microbiome and metabolites remain and may drive heightened risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), according to a new study led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study also found that diet and physical activity were more closely tied to the abundance of these CRC-associated gut microbes in people with a history of adenoma than in adenoma-free individuals, suggesting lifestyle may play a particularly important role in shaping these microbes in this high-risk group.

Journal: Cell Host & Microbe
Funder: team OPTIMISTICC, Prescient Metabiomics, Cancer Research UK, Cancer Research UK, American Cancer Society

27-May-2026

Updated colorectal cancer guidelines endorse new stool tests, recommend limited use of blood tests

University of Virginia Health System
Peer-Reviewed Publication

With colorectal cancer a growing concern among younger people, the American Cancer Society has endorsed two new types of stool tests to encourage people to get screened while also recommending a limited role for new blood tests many patients find appealing.

27-May-2026

American Cancer Society updates colorectal cancer screening guideline: Major changes emphasize blood-based and at-home stool testing

American Cancer Society
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The American Cancer Society (ACS) today released updated guidelines for colorectal cancer screening. The new recommendations reaffirm that average-risk adults should begin colorectal cancer screening at age 45 and continue through age 75 for those with a life expectancy greater than 10 years. However, ACS is now adding guidelines for a blood-based screening test taken in a doctor’s office, as well as one updated and one new at-home screening option that looks for hidden blood and molecular markers in stool samples. The move reflects advances in disease detection and a critical shift in public health strategy to expand screening options and lower barriers to access. The update is published in a report in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, the flagship journal of ACS.

26-May-2026

Study finds colorectal cancer screening intervention had similar effects across race/ethnicity at federally qualified health centers

American Academy of Family Physicians
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Racially and ethnically minoritized patients are underscreened for colorectal cancer, resulting in racial/ethnic disparities. This study examined an intervention consisting of a mailed fecal immunochemical test (FIT) to patients due for screening, plus patient navigation for positive tests, at two federally qualified health centers (FQHC) systems in North Carolina.

Journal: The Annals of Family Medicine

26-May-2026

Transfer learning-assisted discovery of novel gp130 inhibitors for colorectal cancer therapy

HEP Data Cooperation Journals
Peer-Reviewed Publication

An artificial intelligence–driven transfer learning strategy enabled the discovery of a novel indolopyridine-based small molecule (Compound 8a) that directly targets gp130, potently suppresses the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway, and effectively inhibits colorectal cancer growth in vitro and in vivo, offering a promising lead and a feasible computational paradigm for developing gp130‑targeted anticancer agents.