Inferences from gut microbiome to colorectal cancer
The gut microbiome offers a range of information. US scientists have now demonstrated that its composition also indicates if an individual has precancerous adenomatous polyps or colorectal cancer. This may represent a new screening method, they write in "Cancer Prevention Research".
Physicians at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) analysed stool samples from 30 healthy individuals, 30 persons with colorectal cancer and 30 with precancerous adenomatous polyps. The composition of the gut bacteria was different in all three groups, whereby the researchers compiled "microbiome signatures".
Combining these signatures with clinical risk factors for precancerous adenomatous polyps (age and race) improved the prediction of the presence of these polyps by a factor of 4.5. Adding the signature to the risk factors of colorectal cancer (age, race, BMI) improved prediction of the presence of invasive colorectal cancer 5.4 times.
"Our data show that gut microbiome analysis has the potential to be a new tool to noninvasively screen for colorectal cancer," said study author Patrick D. Schloss. However, this method should not replace other screening procedures used to date, but rather be complementary.
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