Dame Deborah fearlessly campaigned to raise bowel cancer awareness before her death (Picture: Instagram)
The late Dame Deborah James would have been ‘thrilled’ by the results of a new study that has found a way to stop late-stage bowel cancer cells from growing.
According to a new study, experts at the University of Edinburgh have found a way to block a gene that cancer cells need to grow, while still leaving healthy cells unaffected.
Dame Deborah was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in December 2016 and was told early on that she may not live beyond five years. She died aged 40 in June.
Before her death, Dame Deborah charted her cancer journey on her Instagram account as well as her podcast; You, Me and the Big C alongside Steve Bland and Lauren Mahon.
Dame Deborah’s friend and co-host of the You, Me and the Big C podcast, Steve, said she would have been delighted by the scientific breakthrough.
‘It’s extraordinary what’s happening in the world of cancer and the speed at which research is moving,’ he told The Mirror.
Pals of the Late Dame Deborah would have been thrilled by the new bowel cancer breakthrough (Picture: Rex)
‘The passion and drive that people have to make the lives of cancer patients better is amazing. I’m sure this is something Deb would have been thrilled about.’
In the final weeks of her life, she raised more than £6million for Cancer Research UK, though Steve says it will take ‘decades’ to see the full effects of all her dedicated work.
‘Deb did so much and she was so passionate about research, but we won’t get to see the impact of the fundraising she did for decades to come.’
Pals of the late star say she would have been so happy to hear of the newest breakthrough treatment for bowel cancer (Picture: Instagram)
Dame Deborah underwent several operations and treatments, including experimental drugs, throughout her bowel cancer battle, including a stay in hospital in July 2021 after finding out an aggressive new tumour near her liver had wrapped itself around her bile duct, causing an infection.
What you need to know about bowel cancer, its warning signs and treatment:
How common is it?
Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK and the second-biggest cancer killer, said Dr Lisa Wilde, of Bowel Cancer UK. Around 43,000 men and women are diagnosed with it each year – the equivalent of one person every 15 minutes.
What are the main symptoms?
Persistent and unexplained changes in your bowel habits, such as pooing more frequently or looser stools. Blood in your poo or coming from your bottom – often dark red or brown. Unexplained weight loss, extreme tiredness for no reason, and pain or a lump in your tummy.
Could the symptoms be something else?
Yes, but it is important to check. They can also point to irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases, or an infection.
What will happen at the GP appointment?
Your GP may want to check your tummy and bottom for lumps and give you a blood test. You may have to do a FIT (Faecal Immunochemical Test) at home or go to a hospital for a colonoscopy.
How treatable is it?
Bowel cancer is treatable and curable, especially if diagnosed early. Survival rates fall the later it’s found.
What treatment is there?
Treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or biological treatments. In some cases, a colostomy or stoma may be needed.
Dr Kevin Myrant, who led the study, said the findings could alter bowel cancer treatment in the future.
‘If we can stop splicing from being hijacked, we can stop bowel cancer from growing and make it more vulnerable to treatment,” Myrant said.
‘When we grew bowel cancer cells in the lab and blocked a gene which the cells need to run splicing, they stopped growing. When we blocked the same gene in normal bowel cells, they grew normally,’ he explained.
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In May, Dame Deborah moved into end-of-life hospice care. During the final months of her life, she launched the Bowelbabe fund for Cancer Research UK, which has raised millions of pounds so far.
In a final message before her death, Dame Deborah James urged people to ‘check your poo – it could just save your life’.
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Dame Deborah died in June aged 40.