Biobank of inflammatory and neoplastic diseases of the digestive tract

Early-onset CRC is a major public health emergency in Canada and worldwide. The rapidly increasing incidence of this disease and the lack of screening protocols in this population need to be addressed with comprehensive genomic data to offer better treatments. We anticipate that the knowledge generated will significantly increase our understanding of pivotal landmarks of this disease. Patients diagnosed with early-onset CRC are uniquely positioned to benefit from precision medicine, given that very little is known about the causes and what are the most promising treatments for this group compared to late-onset CRC. Any information gained from comparing early-onset vs late-onset CRC may thus yield clues on best treatment choices and eventually increase survival rates of young patients. In the particular case of early-onset CRC, there is lack of information on genomic profile and signature. A thorough characterization of this component may help identify individuals that are more likely to respond to specific therapies. The long-term goal will be the integration of AI tools with a custom multi-omics screening panel to develop personalized medicine approaches for early-onset CRC.