New method detects colon cancer earlier

British scientists said Tuesday they had identified subtle chemical changes that allow abnormal cells to multiply. Doctors say this could help predict people more likely to develop colon cancer.

Researchers focused on a chemical process that turns genes on and off. This process can switch off genes that lead to tumors to destroy themselves.

Small chemical changes could predict that such malfunctioning genes will allow cancer-causing cells to continue replicating.

Colon cancer kills 655,000 people globally each year.