Microbiome and Colorectal Cancer Management

Globally, colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most typical lethal cancers. One of the main factors for better outcomes in CRC management is the early detection of the disease. As an integral component of human metabolism and homeostasis, gut microbiome has recently been a subject of extensive research for its role in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of CRC. Microbial dysbiosis (the decrease in beneficial gut flora and the increase of detrimental populations) leads to chronic inflammation and genetic alteration in the host cells, triggering and promoting CRC carcinogenesis. Identifying these microbial changes in depth would potentially isolate the pathogenic microbiota species and establish biomarker models for early detection of CRC. On the other hand, modifying these microbial changes would help formulate preventative and therapeutic strategies for CRC, developing a more precise CRC management plan according to each patient's microbial print. This essay explains gut microbiome composition, microbial changes (dysbiosis) in CRC carcinogenesis, the probability of creating microbiome-based CRC biomarkers, and potential microbiome-targeted treatment options.