Publications by authors named "E Alwers"

The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is the most widely used test for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. RAID-CRC Screen is a new non-invasive test based on fecal bacterial markers, developed to complement FIT by increasing its specificity. The test was previously clinically evaluated in FIT-positive patients (>20 μg of hemoglobin/g of feces, "FIT20"), in which it reduced the proportion of false positive results by 16.

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Background: DNA methylation biomarkers have great potential in improving prognostic classification systems for patients with cancer. Machine learning (ML)-based analytic techniques might help overcome the challenges of analyzing high-dimensional data in relatively small sample sizes. This systematic review summarizes the current use of ML-based methods in epigenome-wide studies for the identification of DNA methylation signatures associated with cancer prognosis.

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Bovine milk and meat factors (BMMFs) are plasmid-like DNA molecules isolated from bovine milk and serum, as well as the peritumor of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. BMMFs have been proposed as zoonotic infectious agents and drivers of indirect carcinogenesis of CRC, inducing chronic tissue inflammation, radical formation and increased levels of DNA damage. Data on expression of BMMFs in large clinical cohorts to test an association with co-markers and clinical parameters were not previously available and were therefore assessed in this study.

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Article Synopsis
  • Early-onset colorectal cancer (diagnosed before 50) is increasing, and understanding its molecular features across different tumor locations is crucial for personalized treatment.
  • A study of 14,004 colorectal cancer cases identified distinct molecular characteristics like microsatellite instability (MSI), CIMP, and mutations in KRAS and BRAF, comparing early-onset and later-onset tumors.
  • Results showed that early-onset tumors had a higher prevalence of MSI-high status but lower rates of CIMP-high status and BRAF mutations, highlighting the biological differences and potential treatment implications based on age and tumor location.
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