High-fat diet-mediated dysbiosis promotes intestinal carcinogenesis independent of obesity

Obesity and decreased physical activity are known risks for gastrointestinal cancers. There is substantial evidence suggesting that diet profoundly affects the composition of the intestinal microbiota. Moreover, there is now unequivocal evidence linking dysbiosis to cancer development. Thus, we set out to elucidate whether high-fat diet (HFD)-induced changes in the microbial community impact the severity of tumorigenesis in the gut. Our data underscore the importance of the reciprocal interaction between host and environmental factors in selecting microbiota that indeed favor carcinogenesis. Thus, personalized dietary interventions may allow modulation of an individual's microbiota to promote health, especially in those who are at a high risk due to genetic susceptibility and increased high-fat intake.