Abstract
Simple SummaryThe Colorectal cancer Study of Austria (CORSA), an ongoing multicenter prospective case‒control study, was initiated to discover prognostic as well as diagnostic biomarkers for colorectal cancer (CRC) risk prediction mainly based on OMICS research, such as genomics, metabolomics, and metagenomics centered at the Institute of Cancer Research at the Medical University of Vienna; recruitment for CORSA started in 2003. Until now, we have generated genomics data, untargeted and targeted metabolomics data, folate-dependent one-carbon metabolism data, and leukocyte telomere length data using the CORSA biobank. The generated data, the collection of biological samples (genomic DNA, plasma, fecal samples) and the comprehensive CORSA database represents a valuable resource for ongoing and future national and international cooperation projects on CRC research.The Colorectal cancer Study of Austria (CORSA) is comprised more than 13,500 newly diagnosed colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, patients with high- and low-risk adenomas as well as population-based controls. The recruitment for the CORSA biobank is performed in close cooperation with the invited two-stage CRC screening project “Burgenland PREvention trial of colorectal Disease with ImmunologiCal Testing” (B-PREDICT). Annually, more than 150,000 inhabitants of the Austrian federal state Burgenland aged between 40 and 80 are invited to participate using FIT-tests as an initial screening. FIT-positive tested participants are offered a diagnostic colonoscopy and are asked to take part in CORSA, sign a written informed consent, complete questionnaires concerning dietary and lifestyle habits and provide an ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) blood sample as well as a stool sample. Additional CRC cases have been recruited at four hospitals in Vienna and a hospital in lower Austria. A major strength of CORSA is the population-based controls who are FIT-positive and colonoscopy-confirmed to be free of polyps and/or CRC.
Highlights
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common cancer and the third highest cause of cancer-related deaths in Europe, thereby representing a severe public health problem [1]
With the progress in molecular biologically methods, we have focused on high-throughput OMICS-based projects, in particular, genomics, metabolomics and metagenomics
Our results suggest that metabolic pathway involving citrulline, histidine, and other molecules that have been previously implicated in CRC development may be linked to progression [12]
Summary
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common cancer and the third highest cause of cancer-related deaths in Europe, thereby representing a severe public health problem [1]. In Austria, the CRC incidence rate is observed in the lower third within the European Union with about 49.2 per 100,000 inhabitants (Statistics Austria, 2017). CRC is a complex disease with both genetic and lifestyle factors contributing to individual risk of CRC [2]. Detection of CRC is an important issue since the stage at diagnosis remains the most important prognostic factor for CRC. The 5-year survival rate is about 90% for those patients diagnosed at an early stage but decreases to 10% for advanced or metastasized cancer [3]. The majority of sporadic CRCs develop from normal epithelium through sequentially worsening degrees of adenomatous dysplasia, known as the adenoma-carcinoma sequence [4]. Due to the slow progression of CRC, there is a window of opportunity of about ten years for prevention and intervention
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