Researchers at the University of Utah's Huntsman Cancer Institute now use a scaly medium to study cancer: fish.

Lincoln Nadauld, a BYU graduate now working on a doctorate degree from the University of Utah, works with zebrafish every day. By manipulating the genes in these fish, Nadauld and other researchers can study colon cancer.

Colon cancer is projected to take the lives of 57,000 Americans this year, and is a difficult disease to study because human colon cells cannot be grown in a lab. However, zebrafish colon cells can be grown quite easily. Additionally, this type of fish develops quickly, reproduces rapidly and is completely transparent in its early stages.

Researchers don't inject colon cancer into the fish; they use the fish to understand what genes are important in colon cancer. A process called "knocking out genes" is used to understand the function of genes and the role they play in colon cancer.

Zebrafish are freshwater fish originating from East India and Burma. Though about one inch in length when fully grown, most research for colon cancer is conducted while the fish are microscopic.

As strange as it seems, many internal organs of zebrafish are similar to human organs, particularly the colon.

"Functionally, they do the same things. They look very similar. The same types of cells grow in human intestine as grow in zebrafish intestines," Nadauld said.

One obvious disadvantage is that research in fish can't entirely be applied to humans, but Nadauld said comparisons are, for the most part, correct.

This year, 670 Utahns will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 260 of those will die, according to projected statistics from the American Cancer Society.

In Utah, colorectal cancers are the third most prevalent cause of death and the second highest cause of cancer death.

Sharon Hinckley, area director for the American Cancer Society, said many people don't know the risk of colorectal cancer.

March marks Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, a nationwide effort to increase awareness about the disease.

Activities associated with Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month aim to educate people about guidelines for preventing the disease. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including physical activity and a balanced diet, contributes to prevention.

As with any form of cancer, early detection is key. Nadauld said if caught early, colon cancer is 95 percent treatable.

"They call it the silent killer because you don't notice any symptoms - you can't really tell anything is going on until the disease has progressed to the point that it can be fatal," Nadauld said.

According to screening guidelines from the American Cancer Society, everyone between the ages of 20 and 40 should receive a cancer-related checkup every three years. People should receive a checkup every year after age 40.

With regular testing, "not nearly as many people would have to be dying from colon cancer," Nadauld said.



Copyright Brigham Young University 1 Mar 2004