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Gut bacteria may hold key to unlocking better cancer treatment

29 May , 2025

Scientists have identified a range of biomarkers that may significantly enhance the detection and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases such as gastric cancer  colorectal cancer  and inflammatory bowel disease.

The study found specific gut bacteria and metabolites associated with each condition indicating their potential for early less invasive diagnosis. Some biomarkers were even linked to multiple diseases. Using advanced machine learning techniques researchers analyzed microbiome and metabolome data from patients with GC, CRC, and IBD. Their cross-disease approach revealed that models trained on GC data could accurately predict IBD biomarkers while CRC models effectively identified GC biomarkers.

Our analysis provides deeper insights into the biological mechanisms behind disease progression and highlights key biomarkers that could support earlier more accurate diagnosis. This opens the door to more targeted and personalized treatment approaches.

The study found that in gastric cancer bacteria from the Firmicutes Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria groups were prevalent along with notable changes in metabolites such as dihydrouracil and taurine. Interestingly some of these biomarkers also appeared in inflammatory bowel disease suggesting biological overlap. However while these markers were effective for identifying IBD they were less successful in detecting colorectal cancer.

In CRC cases key bacterial species included Fusobacterium and Enterococcus along with metabolites like isoleucine and nicotinamide. Some of these overlapped with those found in GC pointing to potential shared mechanisms in disease progression.

For IBD the Lachnospiraceae bacterial family and metabolites such as urobilin and glycerate stood out with several also linked to cancer-related pathways highlighting how these conditions are interconnected.

The researchers also simulated gut microbial activity and metabolite flow uncovering clear metabolic distinctions between healthy and disease states.

Our cross-disease analysis highlights the potential of using microbial and metabolic biomarkers identified in one gastrointestinal disease to predict others said Dr. Acharjee. This innovative strategy could pave the way for universal diagnostic tools transforming how multiple gastrointestinal conditions are detected and treated.

Source: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2025/gut-bacteria-may-hold-key-to-unlocking-better-cancer-treatment


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