Pre-surgery gut microbial diversity and abundance are associated with post-surgery onset of cachexia in colorectal cancer patients: the ColoCare Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cachexia accounts for about 20% of all cancer-related deaths and it is indicative of poor prognosis and progressive functional impairment. The role of the gut microbiome in the development of cachexia in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients has not been established.

Methods

Pre-surgical stool samples from n = 103 stage I-III CRC patients in the ColoCare Study were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing (Illumina) to characterize fecal bacteria. We calculated estimates of alpha- and beta-diversity and a priori- and exploratory-selected bacterial relative abundance. Using Fearon criteria, cachexia onset at 6 months post-surgery was defined as > 5% weight loss over the past 6 months and/or body mass index (BMI) of < 20 kg/m² and weight loss of > 2%. Associati

SUBMITTER: Ilozumba MN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12478455 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature