Arhaan Bhargava
Research Mentor: Zora Djuric
Mentor Department: Family Medicine, Medicine
Author(s): Arhaan Bhargava, Zora Djuric, MyBestGI Study Team
Session: Session 7 (4:00 PM – 4:50 PM)
Presentation Type: Poster 84
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most prevalent cancer in the US, and it is one of the cancers most highly influenced by diet. The MyBestGI study is a clinical trial to test three different app-supported dietary interventions in overweight or obese individuals who also have an elevated risk of CRC. The study recruited 240 participants, and questionnaires were utilized to capture demographic characteristics and each participant’s risk factors for cancer. These characteristics included age, sex, alcohol intake, smoking, skin carotenoids, body mass index (BMI) and both their personal and family history of CRC or adenomas. Of the 240 participants enrolled in the MyBestGI study, 188 were classified as being at the highest risk based on having a personal history of CRC or adenoma, a genetic high-risk syndrome, or two or more primary relatives with CRC or adenoma. Of the remaining study participants, 3 were at elevated risk due to a shorter-than-normal colonoscopy screening recommendation based on colonoscopy findings, and the rest were at increased risk due to having only one primary relative with CRC or adenoma, or at least two secondary relatives with CRC or adenoma. In evaluating the demographic characteristics of participants in the highest risk category, compared to the other participants, there were no significant differences in smoking, alcohol, BMI, or skin carotenoids, but the participants in the highest risk category were on average older. Although there was no apparent difference in dietary intakes between the two risk groups, as judged by BMI and skin carotenoids at baseline, whether or not this will affect adherence to the interventions is not yet known because the trial is still ongoing. Preliminary data does however, indicate lower attrition over the one-year program versus that seen with other app-supported interventions. It is therefore possible that having risk factors for CRC could motivate individuals to improve their dietary intakes.
