Space Travel May Boost Colon Cancer Risk

Colon Health — (Image credit: Sebastian Kaulitzki | Dreamstime)

Space travel may increase the risk of colon cancer, according to a new study in mice.

The results show mice exposed to a type of high-energy radiation prevalent in space called 56Fe developed tumors in their intestines.

In space, astronauts are exposed to levels of radiation that, on Earth, have been shown to increase the risk of cancer. But exactly how much a person's cancer risk might increase after a trip to space it not known.

"Sustained exposure during prolonged space missions, such as a mission to Mars, and lengthy stays at the International Space Station may cause significant cosmic radiation dose accumulation in astronauts, and thus remains a long-term health concern of space exploration," said study researcher Kamal Datta, of the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in Washington, D.C.

"Knowing how space radiation induces tumor formation will allow us to develop preventive strategies that target this specific signaling pathway," said study researcher Shubhankar Suman, also of Georgetown University.

This story was provided by MyHealthNewsDaily, sister site to SPACE.com. Follow MyHealthNewsDaily on Twitter @MyHealth_MHND. Findus on Facebook.

Rachael was a Senior Writer for Space.com sister site Live Science. She has a masters degree in journalism from New York University's Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in molecular biology and a Master of Science in biology from the University of California, San Diego. Her work has appeared in Scienceline, The Washington Post and Scientific American.