16S rRNA sequencing of fecal microbiome of patients with colorectal cancer and healthy individuals in Saudi Arabia

The study aimed to characterize the gut microbiome composition of Saudi patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) compared with healthy controls using full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing with Oxford Nanopore Technology. Specifically, this study sought to (1) examine microbial diversity, (2) identify bacterial taxa associated with CRC, and (3) explore potential microbial biomarkers that may inform the development of non-invasive, stool-based screening approaches tailored to the regional context.