{
  "abstract": "Background/Objectives: The gut microbiome modulates chemotherapy efficacy in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), yet its relationship with the clinically relevant endpoint of post-chemotherapy surgical eligibility remains poorly characterised. We explored whether baseline gut microbiome composition and metagenomically predicted metabolic function differ between chemotherapy responders and non-responders in PDAC. Methods: In this prospective single-centre exploratory cohort study, faecal samples were collected from 15 patients with non-immediately resectable PDAC at diagnosis, before chemotherapy. Whole-genome shotgun metagenomics was performed, and microbial functional capacity was inferred through an assembly-based pipeline. Patients were classified as responders (achieved surgical eligibility, n = 6) or non-responders (n = 9). Results: At baseline, responders showed enrichment of Collinsella aerofaciens (p = 0.026) and Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens (p = 0.012), while non-responders were enriched in oral-origin bacteria (Streptococcus gordonii, Actinomyces spp., Rothia dentocariosa). Predicted butyrate showed the largest effect size difference between groups but did not reach significance (p = 0.179); responders also had broadly elevated predicted SCFAs and bile acids. However, chemotherapy regimen (mFOLFIRINOX in 5/6 responders vs. 2/9 non-responders; Fisher p = 0.041) and disease stage were unevenly distributed between groups. Conclusions: This exploratory study identifies the compositional and functional microbiome features distinguishing PDAC chemotherapy responders from non-responders. These associations are confounded by disease stage and regimen and require validation in larger, regimen-stratified cohorts before predictive or mechanistic claims can be made.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "HPB Unit, General Surgery Department, Pederzoli Hospital, Peschiera del Garda, 37019 Verona, Italy.",
    "PhD School of Applied Medical-Surgical Sciences, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy.",
    "Wellmicro Srl, 40138 Bologna, Italy.",
    "Clinical Biochemistry Section, Department of Engineering for Innovation Medicine, University of Verona, 37129 Verona, Italy.",
    "Department of Biochemistry, Pederzoli Hospital, Peschiera del Garda, 37019 Verona, Italy.",
    "Collegium Medicum, Spoleczna Akademia Nauk University, 90-113 Łódź, Poland.",
    "Section of Clinical Nutrition and Nutrigenomic, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 10,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Erica Pizzocaro"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Matteo Soverini",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-3026-9460"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3,
        4
      ],
      "name": "Gian Luca Salvagno"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Ashkan Lotfollahzadeh"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Barbara Santacroce"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Giulia Bruno"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        5
      ],
      "name": "Isabella Frigerio",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-7616-4226"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6
      ],
      "name": "Laura Di Renzo",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-8875-6723"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Andrea Castagnetti"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Giovanni Butturini",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-9172-4885"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8807f0ppmhk89.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/metabo16100720",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13707113",
  "id": "8807f0ppmhk89",
  "issns": [
    "2218-1989"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42941196",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "1312|Gut microbiota and health"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7214643827",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13707113?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13707113",
  "pmid": "42941196",
  "published": "2026-09-28",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8807f0ppmhk89.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:22:24Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42941196",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42941196"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biochemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:1312|Gut microbiota and health",
      "subfield": "molecular-biology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Gut Microbiome Compositional and Functional Signatures Associated with Chemotherapy Response in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: An Exploratory Cohort Study.",
  "title_text": "Gut Microbiome Compositional and Functional Signatures Associated with Chemotherapy Response in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: An Exploratory Cohort Study.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:22:24Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8807f0ppmhk89",
  "venue": "Metabolites",
  "versions": []
}