Dr Andrew Renehan PhD FRCS FDS

Since January 2007, I have been a HEFCE-awarded “new-blood” senior lecturer in the School of Cancer and Imaging Sciences at the University of Manchester (UoM), and Honorary Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester. My work is divided 50: 50 between research and clinical service in a bi-weekly timetable.

At a clinical level, I am one of four colorectal surgeons working within a wider pelvic surgery team (urology, gynaecology and plastic surgery) in one of the largest cancer dedicated hospitals in Europe managing advanced and complex colorectal and pelvic malignancies (Director: Miss Sarah T O’Dwyer). I am core member of the Peritoneal Tumour Service – one of two NCG national treatment centres for the peritoneal surface malignancies. I am research lead on clinical studies through this group.

My academic activities are within the research School of Cancer and Imaging Sciences (Head: Professor Tony Whetton), UoM, and the Manchester Cancer Research Centre (Director: Professor Nic Jones). I am lead for the colorectal cancer focus group within a large Cancer Research UK core-funded translational laboratory (Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology: Professor Caroline Dive) located within the Paterson Institute for Cancer Research (PICR) at the Christie campus. My laboratory group is the colorectal cancer and obesity group. I am co-chair of the Cancer Prevention Research Network and the Systematic Review Research and Educational Network (SyREN) within the Institute of Health Sciences. (see Research for links).
 

General Medical Council
Royal College of Surgeons of England
Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland
Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland
British Journal of Surgery Society
Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF) Society
Manchester Medical Society
International Society for Obesity Research
International Association for Cancer Prevention Research
 

Obesity, IGFs and cancer: As a prelude to the study of potential mechanisms linking obesity with increased cancer risk, we have initially focused on the establishment of robust clinical epidemiological observations. Through a key collaboration with Prof Matthias Egger’s group (University of Bern, Switzerland), we undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis (224 cohort studies across 20 cancer types), using standardised approaches (Renehan et al. Lancet 2008), and quantified and ranked associations between body mass index (BMI) and cancer risk by gender.We are currently taking these observations further by estimating population impact numbers.
Hyperinsulinaemia and alterations of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis are postulated as key altered pathways in the link between obesity and cancer.We have previously quantified the associations between serum total IGF-I and its main binding protein, IGFBP-3 for several cancer types including colorectal, prostate, lung and pre- and post-menopausal breast cancer (Renehan et al. Lancet 2004).We have shown that the IGF axis is significantly influenced in gender-specific ways by factors such as smoking, body mass index and HRT.We have also extensively studied the link between acromegaly, an endocrine disorder characterised by sustained hypersecretion of growth hormone and IGF-I, and colorectal cancer risk. Current studies are focusing on deriving murine models of diet- and genetically-induced obesity and studying tumour promotion and progression in the context of an obese environment.

Preclinical models of biomarker and targeted therapy: Within the Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology group (Prof Caroline Dive) at the Paterson Institute for Cancer Research, Manchester Cancer Research Centre (http://www.mcrc.manchester.ac.uk/), I lead the Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Focus group.This new group aims: (i) to perform ‘fit for purpose’ evaluation of CEP validated biomarker assays among cohorts of CRC patients from early through to advanced stages of disease; (ii) to evaluate ‘fit for purpose’ biomarkers in response to mechanistic biological therapies (MBTs) in combination regimen clinical trials and ultimately to test the hypothesis that these biomarkers act as surrogates of tumour response; (iii) to develop modelling systems in order to select prospectively MBTs with which to treat a greater proportion of patients in trials effectively according to their tumour biomarker profile, and, conversely, to suspend ineffective agents in biomarker-driven phase II/III trials; and (iv) to expand the development of ‘composite biomarkers’ to enhance all objectives above.

Systematic review and meta-analysis: Systematic review (SR) is the unbiased appraisal of systematically identified relevant studies.Implicit in its definition is a robust and scientifically valid process.We use it as an important research tool. I am co-chair Systematic Review Research and Educational Network (SyREN).

Clinical studies in colorectal cancer and pelvic malignancies:I am lead for clinical research in Colorectal Surgery and the Peritoneal Tumour Service, at the Christie, in collaboration with Miss Sarah T O’Dwyer and other GI/ surgical clinical team members.The workstreams reflect the clinical workload of this tertiary referral practice: management of anal cancer, outcome and quality of life following pelvic exenterative surgery, and after cytoreductive surgery and intra-operative chemotherapy for peritoneal surface malignancies.
We have extensively quantified the potential benefits of intensive follow-up after colorectal cancer, demonstrating that it is associated with improved survival. We are now extending this research theme to address survivorship issues.
 

Basic science methods
Systematic review and meta-analysis
Biomarker development
Clinical trials
Clinical studies in surgical oncology
 

MB ChB:
Supervisor for Yr 4 Project options
Final year revision course

Clinical postgraduate:
Supervisor & Mentor for junior staff in clinical surgery
Supervisor for MD / PhD students

Non-clinical postgraduate:
Creator of applied biomarker statistical course
Supervisor for MD / PhD students
 

Dr Andrew Renehan holds dual qualifications in dental surgery and medicine (honours in both). He graduated from Manchester University in 1995, and following his basic surgical training, he undertook his PhD thesis (1998 to 2001) in the laboratories of Professor Chris Potten, Epithelial Biology Group, at the Paterson Institute for Cancer Research, and the Departments of Colorectal Surgery (Miss Sarah T O’Dwyer) and Endocrinology (Professor Steve Shalet), Christie Hospital, Manchester. The title was “Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) and their binding proteins in colorectal carcinogenesis: with particular reference to cell proliferation and apoptosis”.

After his PhD, he returned to clinical higher surgical training in the North West deanery gaining his CCT in October 2006. He was awarded a HEFCE “new blood” senior lectureship to the University of Manchester which commenced in January 2007. He holds the British Travelling Fellowship (for Coloproctology) for 2009
 

UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER

Professor Caroline Dive, Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology Group(http://www.paterson.man.ac.uk/cep/ )

Miss Sarah T O’Dwyer, Department of Surgery(http://www.christie.nhs.uk/research/themes/dg/gi/default.aspx )

Professor Steve Shalet, Department of Endocrinology

Professor Iain Buchan, North West Institute for BioHealth Informatics (https://www.nibhi.org.uk/default.aspx )

Professor Anthony Howell, Department of Medical Oncology and Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention Centre

Professor Peter Clayton, Department of Paediatric Endocrinology (http://www.medicine.manchester.ac.uk/staff/PeterClayton )

Professor Peter Stern, Tumour Immunology Group (http://www.paterson.man.ac.uk/immunology/ )

OTHER UNIVERSITIES
 

Professor Matthias Egger, University of Bern, Switzerland

(http://ispm.ch/index.php?id=375&no_cache=1&tx_aumstaffrecord_pi1[aum_staffrecord]=21 )

Dr Jan Frystyk, University of Aarhus, Denmark

Dr Susan Jebb, MRC Nutrition Research Unit, University of Cambridge

Dr Georg Luebeck, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, USA(http://myprofile.cos.com/gluebeck )