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COLOREACH UK

A UK-wide collaborative for early-onset bowel cancer research

Bowel cancer is becoming more common in younger adults, but we still don't fully understand why.

COLOREACH UK (COLOrectal Research in Early-Age onset bowel Cancer in the United Kingdom) was established in 2024 to bring together researchers, healthcare professionals and people with lived experience from across the UK to tackle some of the biggest unanswered questions about early-onset bowel cancer. 

Hosted by Bowel Cancer UK, the network is creating opportunities for people to share expertise, develop new research ideas and work together to improve outcomes for patients and families affected by bowel cancer diagnosed under the age of 50.

Join the network

A group photo of some of the COLOREACH-UK network members. They are all stood in a large huddle. Behind them is a purple wall with two large screens and a white board on it.
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Why COLOREACH UK matters

Rates of bowel cancer in younger adults are rising, but many questions remain unanswered:

  • Why are more younger people being diagnosed?
  • How can we improve early diagnosis?
  • What treatments work best?
  • And how can we ensure that research reflects the experiences and priorities of patients and families?

People with lived experience are at the heart of the network. Patients and family members have helped shape COLOREACH UK from the beginning, contributing their insights, identifying priorities and helping guide its future direction.


An illustrated graphic of the outline of a rosette. In the middle of the rosette is the outline of a star. All of these outlines are in dark teal. The rosette sits on a yellow circle.

What has been achieved so far?

Since launching, COLOREACH UK has grown into a national community where network members have been able to connect, share ideas and develop collaborations across institutions and disciplines. These relationships are helping to strengthen the UK's research community and create new opportunities for joint working.

Members of the network have secured nearly £1 million in research funding since COLOREACH UK was established, helping to support new studies and advance understanding of early-onset bowel cancer.


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Current areas of focus

The network's work is currently centred around four broad research themes:

  • Risk evaluation
  • Diagnostic interventions
  • Treatment
  • Patient experience

These themes are helping to shape future research programmes, collaborative studies and funding applications across the UK.


Join the network

COLOREACH UK welcomes anyone with an interest in early-onset bowel cancer, including:

  • researchers and academics
  • clinicians and healthcare professionals
  • trainees and early career researchers
  • people diagnosed with bowel cancer under the age of 50
  • family members and carers
  • patient advocates and public contributors
  • charities and voluntary organisations

Sign up as a professional, researcher or academic

Sign up as someone with lived experience

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