When someone is diagnosed with colorectal cancer — which includes both colon and rectal cancers — many people immediately think "surgery." And it’s true that surgery plays a central role in treatment for most patients. But whether it comes first, and what it entails, depends on several factors, especially where the cancer is located, how far it has grown into surrounding tissues, and whether it has spread, explains Eric Dozois, M.D., chair of colon and rectal surgery at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.

Detection of a bowel cancer marker (CDH1) in wastewater may offer a new community level early warning system for the disease, suggests a proof of concept study published online in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

About The Study: This cross-sectional analysis found that delays in treatment initiation for early-onset colorectal cancer—often exceeding 90 days—were more common in all-urban populations and appeared to disproportionately affect young male, Asian or Pacific Islander, Black, or Hispanic patients. Although absolute differences in average treatment timing were modest, the focus in this study on clinically relevant delay thresholds (30, 60, and 90 days) is supported by recent meta-analytic literature. The consistency of these delays across sociodemographic groups challenges assumptions of uniformly timely access in urban settings.

Discover how scientists are revolutionizing colorectal cancer treatment by targeting a key protein linked to tumor growth and blood vessel formation. Learn about the groundbreaking research that could enhance the effectiveness of existing therapies and offer new hope for patients fighting this deadly disease.