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Review
. 2021 Dec 11;21(1):1325.
doi: 10.1186/s12885-021-09054-2.

Gut microbiome and its role in colorectal cancer

Martina Rebersek  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Gut microbiome and its role in colorectal cancer

Martina Rebersek. BMC Cancer. .

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is still one of the most common types of cancer in the world, and the gut microbiome plays an important role in its development. The microbiome is involved in the carcinogenesis, formation and progression of CRC as well as its response to different systemic therapies. The composition of bacterial strains and the influence of geography, race, sex, and diet on the composition of the microbiome serve as important information for screening, early detection and prediction of the treatment outcome of CRC.Microbiome modulation is one of the most prospective new strategies in medicine to improve the health of individuals. Therefore, future research and clinical trials on the gut microbiome in oncology as well as in the treatment of CRC patients are warranted to determine the efficacy of systemic treatments for CRC, minimize adverse effects and increase survival rates.

Keywords: Colorectal cancer; Gut microbiome; Modulation of gut microbiome; Prognostic and predictive biomarkers; Systemic treatment of CRC.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author declares that she has no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Factors involved in the development of EOCRC are specific external environmental factors, general external factors and internal environmental factors
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Four main factors involved in dysbiosis of the gut microbiome and the development of CRC are the host and the host’s lifestyle, environment and gut microbiome
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Bacteria linked to CRC are known as CRC-associated bacteria, such as Bacteroides fragilis, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis and Streptococcus gallolyticus, which are individually linked to CRC. Strains of Fusobacterium nucleatum, Parvimonas, Peptostreptococcus, Porphyromonas and Prevotella have increased abundance in faecal and tumour samples from patients with CRC
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Potential clinical application of the gut microbiota in CRC treatments as a screening, prognostic and predictive biomarker and its possible uses for CRC prevention and CRC treatment
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Possible approaches to modulation of the gut microbiome include diet, prebiotics, probiotics, postbiotics, selective antibiotics and FMT
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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