A study published in Nature Communications investigated the development of the gut microbiome along the colorectal adenoma-carcinoma sequence. Researchers analyzed 156 stool samples from patients with advanced adenomas, carcinomas, and healthy controls, revealing microbial genes, strains, and functions associated with each group. The study found that a high intake of red meat relative to fruits and vegetables is linked to an environment that may promote harmful bacteria in the gut. The findings suggest that the gut microbiome could be useful for early diagnosis and treatment of colorectal adenoma or carcinoma. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common cancer in the elderly, often developing from benign polyps called adenomas. The gut microbiota is believed to play a role in CRC development. However, the specific microbes involved in adenoma or carcinoma have not been comprehensively studied. This study used a metagenome-wide association study (MGWAS) to identify microbial genes, strains, and functions enriched in each group. The results showed that the gut microbiome changes significantly along the adenoma-carcinoma sequence, with certain bacteria being more abundant in carcinoma samples. The study identified 130,715 genes that showed significant abundance differences between the groups. These genes were clustered into metagenomic linkage groups (MLGs), which allowed identification of microbial species characteristic of each group. The study found that certain bacteria, such as Bacteroides and Parabacteroides species, were enriched in carcinoma samples compared to healthy controls. Additionally, the study found that certain MLGs were more abundant in patients with colorectal carcinoma, suggesting a potential role in the development of the disease. The study also found that dietary factors, such as red meat consumption, were associated with changes in the gut microbiome. The study found that certain bacteria that produce short chain fatty acids, which are important for colonocytes, were more abundant in patients with colorectal carcinoma. Additionally, the study found that certain bacteria that metabolize bile acids were more abundant in patients with colorectal carcinoma. The study also found that the gut microbiome could be used to classify colorectal carcinoma and adenoma samples. A random forest classifier was developed that could detect carcinoma samples with high accuracy. The study found that the gut microbiome could be used to detect colorectal adenoma as well as carcinoma, offering new opportunities for non-invasive detection of these tumours. The study also found that the gut microbiome could be influenced by various factors, including diet, smoking, and obesity. The study found that certain bacteria were more abundant in patients with colorectal carcinoma, suggesting a potential role in the development of the disease. The study also found that the gut microbiome could be used to identify risk factors for colorectal cancer, such as high intake of red meat and low intake of fruits and vegetables. Overall, the study highlights the importance of the gut microbiome in the development of colorectal cancer and suggests that theA study published in Nature Communications investigated the development of the gut microbiome along the colorectal adenoma-carcinoma sequence. Researchers analyzed 156 stool samples from patients with advanced adenomas, carcinomas, and healthy controls, revealing microbial genes, strains, and functions associated with each group. The study found that a high intake of red meat relative to fruits and vegetables is linked to an environment that may promote harmful bacteria in the gut. The findings suggest that the gut microbiome could be useful for early diagnosis and treatment of colorectal adenoma or carcinoma. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common cancer in the elderly, often developing from benign polyps called adenomas. The gut microbiota is believed to play a role in CRC development. However, the specific microbes involved in adenoma or carcinoma have not been comprehensively studied. This study used a metagenome-wide association study (MGWAS) to identify microbial genes, strains, and functions enriched in each group. The results showed that the gut microbiome changes significantly along the adenoma-carcinoma sequence, with certain bacteria being more abundant in carcinoma samples. The study identified 130,715 genes that showed significant abundance differences between the groups. These genes were clustered into metagenomic linkage groups (MLGs), which allowed identification of microbial species characteristic of each group. The study found that certain bacteria, such as Bacteroides and Parabacteroides species, were enriched in carcinoma samples compared to healthy controls. Additionally, the study found that certain MLGs were more abundant in patients with colorectal carcinoma, suggesting a potential role in the development of the disease. The study also found that dietary factors, such as red meat consumption, were associated with changes in the gut microbiome. The study found that certain bacteria that produce short chain fatty acids, which are important for colonocytes, were more abundant in patients with colorectal carcinoma. Additionally, the study found that certain bacteria that metabolize bile acids were more abundant in patients with colorectal carcinoma. The study also found that the gut microbiome could be used to classify colorectal carcinoma and adenoma samples. A random forest classifier was developed that could detect carcinoma samples with high accuracy. The study found that the gut microbiome could be used to detect colorectal adenoma as well as carcinoma, offering new opportunities for non-invasive detection of these tumours. The study also found that the gut microbiome could be influenced by various factors, including diet, smoking, and obesity. The study found that certain bacteria were more abundant in patients with colorectal carcinoma, suggesting a potential role in the development of the disease. The study also found that the gut microbiome could be used to identify risk factors for colorectal cancer, such as high intake of red meat and low intake of fruits and vegetables. Overall, the study highlights the importance of the gut microbiome in the development of colorectal cancer and suggests that the