Colorectal Cancer Research Group

Research group

Group Leader

Miguel Pera Román

Our group has several years of experience in a stable line of translational research on the major clinical problem of tumor recurrence after surgery for colorectal cancer or liver metastases with curative intent. We have designed several in vitro assays, experimental tumor models, and clinical trials to investigate the influence of surgery on oncological outcome after surgical excision of colon cancer. Surgery induces an inflammatory response that, in some patients, may be associated with a worse prognosis. Our research has focused on identifying those factors that may enhance the inflammatory response, such as the surgical approach, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and postoperative intra-abdominal infection. We have shown that amplification of the inflammatory response may favor tumor recurrence by increasing angiogenesis and/or inducing an invasive phenotype of residual tumor cells. We have also demonstrated that postoperative inflammatory response induces overexpression of tumor progression-related genes in peripheral blood leukocytes. In 2014, we initiated a collaboration with the Integrative Biochemistry research group (University of Barcelona) to identify metabolic profiles in postoperative plasma samples of patients who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer, in order to identify new prognostic biomarkers.

Members

Sandra Alonso Gonçálvez (Researcher)

Luís Grande Posa (Researcher)

Xavier Mayol Girbau (Researcher)

Marta Pascual Damieta (Researcher)

José Antonio Pereira Rodríguez (Researcher)

Main Publications

• Lacima G, Pera M, González-Argenté X, Torrents A, Valls-Solé J, Espuña-Pons M. Is electromyography a predictive test of patient response to biofeedback in the treatment of fecal incontinence? Neurourol Urodyn. 2016 Mar; 35(3): 390-4. IF 3.128. Q1.

• Pera M. The surgeon as a risk factor: the need for shared individual outcome reports and quality improvement strategies. Colorectal Dis. 2016 Jun; 18(6): 533-4. IF. 2.452. Q2.

Ongoing Research Projects

• Biomarcadores pronósticos de recurrencia tras cirugía del cáncer colorrectal: Estudio de los cambios metabólicos y del contenido proteico y de miRNA de las vesículas extracelulares

− Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria. ISCIII (PI15/00458)

− From 2016 to 2018

− Principal investigator: Pera Román, Miguel

• Infección peritoneal postoperatoria y recurrencia del cáncer colorrectal. Estudio de los cambios en el metabolismo energético de las células tumorales como mecanismo responsable de esta asociación

− Fundación Mutua Madrileña (AP150582014)

− From 2014 to 2017

− Principal investigator: Pascual Damieta, Marta

− Fundación Española de Coloproctología

− From 2014 to 2016

− Principal investigator: Pera Román, Miguel

• Infección peritoneal y recurrencia del cáncer colorrectal: estudio de la inflamación, angiogénesis y otros mecanismos implicados en el crecimiento tumoral tras cirugía con intención curativa

− Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria. ISCIII (PI11/01093)

− From 2012 to 2016

− Principal investigator: Pera Román, Miguel

Participation in Research Networks

• Spanish Rectal Cancer Project

− Collaborating investigators: Pera Román, Miguel; Pascual Damieta, Marta

• EuroSurg. The European Surgical Research Collaborative

− Collaborating investigators: Alonso Gonçálvez, Sandra; Pera Román, Miguel

• ESCP pan-European snapshot audit. Cohort studies supported by de European Association of Coloproctology. 2016: Closure of intestinal stoma

− Collaborating investigators: Salvans Ruiz, Silvia; Pera Román, Miguel

Group’s Recognitions

• Officially recognised as a consolidated research group by the Generalitat de Catalunya: Grup d'Investigació en Càncer Colorrectal (2014-2017)

− Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (SGR 431)

− Principal investigator: Pera Román, Miguel

C/ Doctor Aiguader, 88

08003 Barcelona

(+34) 93 316 04 00

info@imim.es