Study Background and Disease Burden
Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks among the leading causes of cancer morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite advances in surgical and systemic therapies, predicting oncological outcomes remains challenging due to tumour heterogeneity and underlying biological factors. Emerging evidence implicates the gut microbiota—complex microbial communities residing in the intestinal mucosa—in CRC pathogenesis, influencing tumour development, progression, and therapy response. Notably, the tumoral mucosal microbiota may harbor pathobionts—microorganisms that can cause disease under certain conditions—that play roles in oncogenesis and patient prognosis.
This study addresses a critical unmet need to delineate the composition and metabolic functions of the mucosal microbiota within colorectal tumours and examine their influence on post-resection survival outcomes. Understanding these microbial networks could offer novel prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in CRC management.
