Gut microbiome development along the colorectal adenoma-carcinoma sequence

Colorectal cancer, a commonly diagnosed cancer in the elderly, often develops slowly from benign polyps called adenoma. The gut microbiota, with its critical roles in nutrient metabolism and immune modulation, is believed to be directly involved in colorectal carcinogenesis. The identity and functional capacity of the adenoma- or carcinoma-related gut microbe(s), however, have not been surveyed in a comprehensive manner. Here we perform metagenomewide association study (MGWAS) on stools from healthy controls, advanced adenoma and carcinoma patients, revealing gene markers from over 100 bacterial strains enriched in each group.