Microbes, microbiota, and colon cancer

Cynthia L Sears; Wendy S Garrett

doi:10.1016/j.chom.2014.02.007

Microbes, microbiota, and colon cancer

Cell Host Microbe. 2014 Mar 12;15(3):317-28. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2014.02.007.

Authors

Cynthia L Sears¹, Wendy S Garrett²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Electronic address: csears@jhmi.edu.
² Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Genetics and Complex Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA. Electronic address: wgarrett@hsph.harvard.edu.

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) presents a considerable disease burden worldwide. The human colon is also an anatomical location with the largest number of microbes. It is natural, therefore, to anticipate a role for microbes, particularly bacteria, in colorectal carcinogenesis. The increasing accessibility of microbial meta'omics is fueling a surge in our understanding of the role that microbes and the microbiota play in CRC. In this review, we will discuss recent insights into contributions of the microbiota to CRC and explore conceptual frameworks for evaluating the role of microbes in cancer causation. We also highlight new findings on candidate CRC-potentiating species and current knowledge gaps. Finally, we explore the roles of microbial metabolism as it relates to bile acids, xenobiotics, and diet in the etiology and therapeutics of CRC.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Carcinogenesis*
Colorectal Neoplasms / etiology*
Colorectal Neoplasms / microbiology*
Gastrointestinal Tract / microbiology*
Humans
Microbiota*

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding