Regulating intestinal inflammation may be the key to prevent colon cancer

Regulating intestinal inflammation may be the key to prevent colon cancerRegulating intestinal inflammation may be the key to preventing colon cancer, a Canadian researcher has suggested.

The protein Caspase-1 plays a crucial role in inflammation regulation and intestinal tissue repair, found Dr. Maya Saleh of McGill University and McGill University Health Centre. Saleh and colleagues also found that if Caspase-12 -- the protein that blocks Caspase-1-- is absent, the inflammation mechanism caused by Caspase-1 can go out of control.

Saleh said in statement, "If Caspase-1, is not eventually blocked, it could lead to appearance of tumors. Our challenge at present is to further our research on the action of Caspases in the immune response and also to see whether they play a role in other types of cancer."

According to Saleh, the study opens the door to a more targeted treatment strategy for dealing with inflammation.

Saleh further said that Caspase-1 inhibitors were developed in the 1990s but inhibition of Caspase-1 seems to cause an intense inflammatory reaction. (With Inputs from Agencies)