MINI REVIEW article
Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Microorganisms in Vertebrate Digestive Systems
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1495274
This article is part of the Research TopicUncovering Microbial Biomarkers and Interventions in Colorectal Cancer: a Transformative Journey from Pathogenesis to TherapyView all 3 articles
Advances in intestinal flora for the development, diagnosis and treatment of CRC
Provisionally accepted
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Exposure and Health Intervention of Zhejiang Province, Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, China
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Colorectal cancer (CRC), being prevalent among digestive tract malignancies, exhibits substantial mortality and morbidity rates. The intestinal microbiota, predominantly located in the colorectum, is diverse and comprises both conditionally pathogenic bacteria that can promote CRC development and probiotics that can inhibit it to some extent. Intestinal flora is associated with colorectal cancer, affecting its onset and progression through metabolites, immune regulation, and damage to the intestinal mucosal barrier. The intestinal flora exhibits significant potential in the diagnosis and treatment of CRC. Certain bacterial species can serve as biomarkers for CRC, aiding in the detection of precancerous and early-stage lesions. For instance, alterations in the abundance of Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) and Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF) may indicate an elevated risk of CRC. On the other hand, probiotics such as Bifidobacteria could modulate chemotherapy and immunotherapy, improving treatment outcomes and reducing side effects, making them an effective approach to prevent CRC etiology and act as an adjuvant therapy. This paper focuses on a review of the relationship between intestinal flora and CRC, sorting out its potential role in developing, diagnosing, and treating CRC. It will advance precise, intelligent, and individualised prevention and treatment for CRC.
Keywords: colorectal cancer, intestinal flora, Pathogenesis, screening, Prevention and treatment
Received: 12 Sep 2024; Accepted: 14 May 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Hu, Qiu, Liu, Chen, Chen, Xu, Yuan, Zhang and Li. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Xinling Zhang, Key Laboratory of Pollution Exposure and Health Intervention of Zhejiang Province, Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, China
Xiaoping Li, Key Laboratory of Pollution Exposure and Health Intervention of Zhejiang Province, Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, China
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