Uncovering Microbial Biomarkers and Interventions in Colorectal Cancer: a Transformative Journey from Pathogenesis to Therapy

Emerging evidence suggests that gut microbiota composition and functionality may significantly influence Colorectal cancer (CRC) development and progression, thereby offering avenues for potential early diagnosis and novel therapeutic strategies. An imbalance in microbiota composition, or dysbiosis, has been associated with inflammation, immune dysregulation, and the production of carcinogenic metabolites, all of which may impact CRC pathogenesis. Noteworthy gut pathobionts, including pks+ Escherichia coli, enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, have been identified as enriched in the gut microbiota or colonic tumors of CRC patients. These microorganisms either generate genotoxins that contribute to chromosomal instability or produce specific metabolites that modulate the host's cellular pathways, fostering the development of CRC. Furthermore, distinct microbial metabolic signatures have been characterized in individuals diagnosed with CRC, revealing alterations in the metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acids, and short-chain fatty acids. These modifications in the microbiome and their associated metabolic processes have implications for the host's immune responses, leading to local and systemic inflammation that may promote carcinogenesis. Research is actively exploring the identification of microbial or metabolite biomarkers for early detection and risk stratification of CRC, as well as the advancement of microbiota-based interventions as adjunctive or preventive therapies, which could facilitate personalized management strategies for CRC.

The primary aim of this research topic is to elucidate the intricate relationship between gut microbiota and colorectal cancer, focusing on both pathogenesis and therapeutic implications. Key objectives include: comprehensively understanding how specific microbial communities influence the initiation and progression of CRC; identifying microbial biomarkers for early detection; investigating microbiota-based interventions as viable therapeutic strategies.
Relevant questions to be examined include: which microbial species exert the most significant influence on CRC development? In what manner do microbial metabolites contribute to carcinogenesis? Can the modulation of gut microbiota be a practical preventive or therapeutic approach for CRC?

To gather further insights into the influence of gut microbiota on colorectal cancer, we invite submissions that explore, but are not limited to, the following themes:

- The impact of modulation of gut microbiota—considering both composition and function—on the initiation, progression, diagnosis, and treatment of CRC.
- The roles of driver or passenger microbes in CRC development.
- The identification and validation of predictive and prognostic microbial biomarkers in CRC.
- The transition from single microorganisms to polymicrobial infections: biofilm-driven tumorigenesis in CRC.
- The application of organoids to investigate microbiome–host interactions and to develop therapeutic approaches for colorectal cancer.
- The influence of dietary or environmental factors on gut microbiota modulation related to CRC pathogenesis or treatment.
- The potential roles of probiotics as prophylactic measures for preventing CRC.
- Probiotics as adjuvant therapies with CRC immunotherapy or chemotherapy.

Keywords: gut microbiota, colorectal cancer, dysbiosis, metabolites, diagnostic and therapeutic implications

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.