Tests on two distinct genes were highly accurate in distinguishing between malignant and benign tumours.
While not all polyps in the bowel become cancerous it is thought almost all bowel cancers develop from polyps.
The Cambridge study, in the BMJ journal Gut, analysed 261 samples from patients with benign polyps or bowel cancer. In particular it looked at what are called DNA methylation patterns - a key process in cell development.
The researchers at Cancer UK's Cambridge Research Institute at Cambridge University say that DNA methylation is essential for life.
This first step in detecting molecular 'flags' for bowel cancer, could, one day, lead to a simple test to search DNA for the early signs of the disease.
Dr Ashraf Ibrahim, the lead author of the study, says studying molecular changes could make diagnosing bowel cancer much simpler in the future.
The molecular signals, which tell genes whether to make proteins or not, can become jumbled in cancer cells. We've identified several places where this signal becomes damaged and shown this is linked to bowel cancer development.
Dr Lesley Walker, Cancer Research UK's director of cancer information, says the research opens up the possibility of much earlier diagnosis of bowel cancer, when it is easier to treat.
But there is still more to be done. Research like this is vital in our goal to develop the best methods to detect, monitor and treat cancer and improve survival.
Paula
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