16S rDNA sequencing of tumor tissue of PDAC tumor patients

This study explored the microbiological colonization of pancreatic tumor tissue in 178 patients undergoing pancreatic surgery, primarily for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Bacterial or fungal colonization was found in 28.1% of cases, with a significantly higher rate in patients with preoperative biliary stents. Although microbial presence was not associated with most postoperative complications, colonization with E. coli correlated with increased postpancreatectomy hemorrhage. Long-term survival in PDAC patients tended to be worse in those with positive microbial cultures. A subset of samples underwent both conventional culture and 16S rDNA sequencing, revealing that sequencing detected additional microbial species and provided a broader picture of the tumor microbiome, including in culture-negative cases.