Microflora and cancer
Clear biomarkers of increased risk of bowel cancer found in microbiota
Svetlana Maslova, Hi-tech+
The first risk factor for colorectal cancer is considered to be polyps, which are always taken for biopsy during colonoscopy to assess signs of malignancy. Now scientists have identified even earlier biomarkers indicating increased cancer risks even before the formation of polyps.
The main method of diagnosing bowel cancer is colonoscopy, which can detect both the tumor itself and determine the primary signs of cancer – polyps formed on the intestinal mucosa. According to statistics, only 5% of polyps turn out to be malignant, but all patients with them are shown a biopsy to clarify the diagnosis.
Studying the changes in the intestines of people after 50 years, a team from The University of Washington has identified clear signs of cancer risks, which are manifested by disorders in the composition of bacteria.
Article by Kordahi et al. Genomic and functional characterization of a mucosal symbiont involved in early-stage colorectal cancer is published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe – VM.
It turned out that the increased presence of Bacteroides fragilis bacteria increases the likelihood of colon polyps becoming malignant.
Further observations showed that in patients with and without polyps, B.fragilis differ in their ability to cause inflammation. "Our data suggest that in response to metabolic changes and inflammation, the microbiota may change in a way that will promote the development of inflammation, rather than suppress it," explained the author of the work William Depaolo.
The discovery has important implications for early prevention of colorectal cancer. The new screening tests can assess key bacterial strains, including B.fragilis, and their numbers to predict risks before polyps develop.
Currently, there are no clear measures for cancer prevention for people with benign polyps, except for regular colonoscopy. Perhaps the data from this study will lead to the development of simple tools in the form of probiotics or other drugs that normalize the state of the microbiota.
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