Microbiota Diversity in Human Colorectal Cancer Tissues Is Associated with Clinicopathological Features.

AIM

Few evidences are available regarding the link between microbiota composition in the human colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues and the patients' clinicopathological features.

METHODS

Microbiota diversity in CRC tissues (n = 30) were profiled and compared by high-throughput sequencing with clinicopathological features, including tumor location, differentiation degree, metastasis, and CRC patients' gender and age.

RESULTS

Many bacteria with significant difference in abundance were identified associated with these clinicopathological features (P < 0.05). There was a significant difference in microbial composition between right colon cancers (RCa) vs. left colon cancers (LCa), RCa vs. rectal cancers (P < 0.05). The amount of Fusobacteria was significantly higher in LCa, moderately and poorly differentiated cancers (MPD), and young patients (<60 years), compared to RCa, well differentiated cancers (WD) and elder patients (>60 years), respectively (P < 0.05). Helicobacter spp. in RCa and MPD patients was significantly higher than in LCa and WD patients (P < 0.05). Firmicutes in non-lymph node metastasis (LNM) patients was significantly lower than in LNM patients (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The different microbiota composition in the CRCs was associated with patients' clinicopathological features, which could be a consequence of microflora diversity.