Correlations between Intestinal Microbiota and Clinical Characteristics in Colorectal Adenoma/Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND

Most of colorectal cancer (CRC) cases are sporadic and develop along the adenoma-carcinoma sequence. Intestinal microbial dysbiosis is involved in the development of colorectal cancer. However, there are still no absolute markers predicting the progression from adenoma to carcinoma.

AIMS

To investigate the characteristics of intestinal microbiota in colorectal adenoma and carcinoma patients and the correlations with clinical characteristics.

METHODS

Fecal samples were collected from 154 colorectal carcinoma patients (CRC group), 20 colorectal adenoma patients (AD group), and 199 healthy controls (control group). The intestinal microbiota was investigated by 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

RESULTS

Compared to the healthy controls, microbial diversity was dramatically decreased in AD/CRC. At the genus level, significantly decreased with the order of control-AD-CRC ( < 0.05). , , , , , and were the key genera in the network of colorectal adenoma/carcinoma-associated bacteria. Combination of the top 10 most important species, including , , , bacterium feline oral taxon 001, , , bacterium LD2013, , bacterium 19gly4, and , showed the best performance in distinguishing AD patients from CRC (AUC = 85.54%, 95% CI: 78.83%-92.25%). The clinicopathologic features, including age, sex, tumor location, differentiation degree, and TNM stage, were identified to be closely linked to the intestinal microbiome in CRC.

CONCLUSION

Several intestinal bacteria changed along the adenoma-carcinoma sequence and might be the potential markers for the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal adenoma/carcinoma. Intestinal microbiota characteristics in CRC should account for the host factors.