Microbiome and diseases: colorectal cancer

Cancers of the large intestine are among the most frequent malignomas worldwide and also rank among the most frequent causes for cancer-related mortality in developed countries, with an even increasing incidence in an aging population. Patient survival and treatment options in the metastatic form of this disease are still relatively poor. The cell-autonomous genetic and epigenetic changes associated with carcinogenesis, and the stepwise and consecutive progression along the adenoma-carcinoma sequence in the colorectum, have been studied intensively over the last decades. However, there is a growing interest in the impact of gut microbial communities on the initiation and progression of this cancer entity. Overwhelming evidence meanwhile suggests that the microbiota is an important and potentially causative factor for colorectal cancer (CRC). A disturbance in the microbial community may lead to impairment of epithelial barrier function, imbalance in epithelial self-renewal, DNA damage, and altered immune responses, thereby fostering tumor initiation and progression

Microbiome and Diseases: Colorectal Cancer

Cancers of the large intestine are among the most frequent malignomas worldwide and also rank among the most frequent causes for cancer-related mortality in developed countries, with an even increasing incidence in an aging population. Patient survival and treatment options in the metastatic form of this disease are still relatively poor. The cell-autonomous genetic and epigenetic changes associated with carcinogenesis, and the stepwise and consecutive progression along the adenoma-carcinoma sequence in the colorectum, have been studied intensively over the last decades. However, there is a growing interest in the impact of gut microbial communities on the initiation and progression of this cancer entity. Overwhelming evidence meanwhile suggests that the microbiota is an important and potentially causative factor for colorectal cancer (CRC). A disturbance in the microbial community may lead to impairment of epithelial barrier function, imbalance in epithelial self-renewal, DNA damage, and altered immune responses, thereby fostering tumor initiation and progression