Table 1

Characteristics of faecal studies included in the meta-analysis

Study, yearTimepoint of biospecimen collectionDNA extractionPCR primerRegionSeq platSeq dirSamplesSource of dataData shared
Wang et al, 201214No medication, before surgeryBead-beating and phenol-chloroform purification331F, 797RV3454-FLXF, RCRA-0, CRC-46, Ctrl-56, Total-102NCBI SRA✓
Chen et al, 201226No medication, prior to bowel cleanseQIAamp DNA27F, 533RV1–V3454-FLXFCRA-0, CRC-22, Ctrl-21 ,Total-43NCBI SRA✓
Wu et al, 201312No antibiotics for 3 months, timepoint of biospecimen collection not explicitly mentionedQIAamp DNA341F, 534RV3454-FLXF, RCRA-0, CRC-19, Ctrl-20, Total-39NCBI SRA✓
Weir et al, 201313No antibiotics for 2 months, prior to colonic resection surgeryMoBio Powersoil515F, 806RV4454-FLXFCRA-0, CRC-7, Ctrl-8, Total-15ENA✓
Brim et al, 201329Home based biospecimen collection 2 months after colonoscopyQIAamp Stool DNA extraction KitNot providedV1–V3454-TitaniumFCRA-6, CRC-0, Ctrl-6, Total-12NCBI SRA✓
Zackular et al, 201411Prior to curative surgery, radiation therapyMoBio PowersoilF:GTGCCAGCMGCCAGCMGCCGCGGTAA R:TAATCTWTGGGVHCATCAGG (custom)V4Illumina-MiSeqF, RCRA-30, CRC-30, Ctrl-30, Total-90ENA✓
Zeller et al, 201410Prior to bowel prep for colonoscopy and resection surgeryG'NOME DNA515F, 806RV4Illumina-MiSeqF, RCRA-13, CRC-41, Ctrl-75, Total-129Author✓
Mira-Pascual et al, 201527One week prior to colonoscopyMacherey–Nagel, Germany27F, 533RV1–V3454-FLXFCRA-11, CRC-7, Ctrl-10, Total-28MG-RAST✓
Flemer et al, 201628Faecal samples collected prior to bowel prep, biopsy samples obtained prior to resectionAllPrep, QiagenF:GGNGGCWGCAG R:GTCTCGTGGGCTCGV3–V4Illumina-MiSeqFCRA-80, CRC-0, Ctrl-43, Total-37Author✓
Sobhani et al, 201115No antibiotic intake, prior to ColonoscopyG'NOME DNAV3F, V4RV3–V4454-FLXNACRA-0, CRC-6, Ctrl-6, Total-12NAX
Chen et al, 201332No antibiotics, adequate recovery time post-colonoscopyBead-beating and phenol-chloroform purification27F, 533RV1–V3454-FLXNACRA-47, CRC-0, Ctrl-47, Total-94NAX
Ahn et al, 201331Historically stored faecal biospecimens from histologically confirmed CRA and cancer cases and matched controls prior to initiation of treatmentMoBio Powersoil347F, 803RV3–V4454-FLXNACRA-0, CRC-47, Ctrl-94, Total-141NAX
Goedert et al, 201530Participants who presented for CRC screening, prior to CRC/adenoma colonoscopy or treatmentEDTA-lysozyme-lauryl sacrosyl extraction and caesium chloride-ethidium bromide purification319F, 806RV3–V4Illumina-MiSeqNACRA-24, CRC-2, Ctrl-20, Total-46NAX

  • ✓ Indicates studies included in the analysis, X, studies for whom data were not available.

  • CRA, colorectal adenoma; CRC, colorectal cancer; Ctrl, control; ENA, European Nucleotide Archive; F, forward (5′–3′) direction; R, reverse (3′–5′) direction; Seq dir, sequencing direction; Seq Plat, sequencing platform; SRA, Sequence Read Archive; V1, V3, V4, variable regions of the 16S rRNA gene.