Gut microbiome biomarkers for colorectal cancer detection: a systematic review highlighting age as a key confounder

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The gut microbiome shows potential as a source of non-invasive biomarkers for colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnosis.
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A systematic review included 27 studies, reporting AUROC values of 0.89 for CRC and 0.80 for adenoma differentiation.
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Age difference between cases and controls significantly influenced diagnostic performance, with higher age differences correlating with better AUROC.
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Specific CRC-associated biomarkers showed consistency across studies, including enrichment of Fusobacterium nucleatum and depletion of butyrate producers.
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The findings highlight the importance of considering host age as a confounding factor in microbiome-based CRC diagnostic models.

Frontiers In Oncology

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