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Peer-reviewedCC BYCell Host & Microbe

Meta-analysis reveals microbiome signatures for colorectal cancer that are universal across age groups and sequencing methods

  • Selin Pekel1
  • Nicolai Karcher2
  • Morgan Essex3
  • Fabian Springer2
  • Stefano Romano2
  • Quinten R. Ducarmon1
  • Christian Schudoma2
  • Martin F. Larralde1
  • Alberto Lupatin3
  • Sebastian Zeißig4
  • Michael Zimmermann2
  • Georg Zeller
4 affiliations
  1. 1Molecular Systems Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg 69117, Germany; Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases (LUCID), Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden 2333ZA, the Netherlands
  2. 2Molecular Systems Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg 69117, Germany
  3. 3Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases (LUCID), Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden 2333ZA, the Netherlands
  4. 4Department of Medicine I, University Medical Center Dresden, Technische Universität (TU), Dresden 01307, Germany; Department of Internal Medicine A, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald 17475, Germany; Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital and University of Bern, Bern 3010, Switzerland
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Abstract

Numerous studies have linked gut microbiome alterations to colorectal cancer (CRC), but limited sample sizes and study heterogeneity have hampered cross-study comparisons and subgroup analyses. Here, we present a comprehensive single-disease gut microbiome meta-analysis based on consistently re-computed and re-analyzed shotgun and amplicon sequencing profiles (n = 6,779 samples, 27 studies). Association and machine-learning analyses delineate CRC microbiome signatures, which are robustly generalizable across studies and sequencing approaches and nearly identical between early- and late-onset cases. Meta-analysis of the tumor-resident microbiome reveals characteristic tumor-enriched microbes in concordance with fecal signatures that are clearly detectable in early-stage tumors, although their detection in feces becomes moderately higher in late-stage and distal tumors, possibly due to dilution effects in stool. The unified fecal CRC signature inversely associates with dietary fiber intake and is modifiable by dietary interventions. Finally, genome-resolved functional analysis reveals variation in virulence factor carriage and geographic enrichment across Fusobacterium subspecies.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{pekel2026metaanalysis,
  title = {{Meta-analysis reveals microbiome signatures for colorectal cancer that are universal across age groups and sequencing methods}},
  author = {Selin Pekel and Nicolai Karcher and Morgan Essex and Fabian Springer and Stefano Romano and Quinten R. Ducarmon and Christian Schudoma and Martin F. Larralde and Alberto Lupatin and Sebastian Zeißig and Michael Zimmermann and Georg Zeller},
  journal = {Cell Host \& Microbe},
  year = {2026},
  month = jun,
  doi = {10.1016/j.chom.2026.05.030},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2026.05.030},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Meta-analysis reveals microbiome signatures for colorectal cancer that are universal across age groups and sequencing methods
AU  - Selin Pekel
AU  - Nicolai Karcher
AU  - Morgan Essex
AU  - Fabian Springer
AU  - Stefano Romano
AU  - Quinten R. Ducarmon
AU  - Christian Schudoma
AU  - Martin F. Larralde
AU  - Alberto Lupatin
AU  - Sebastian Zeißig
AU  - Michael Zimmermann
AU  - Georg Zeller
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/06/24
JO  - Cell Host & Microbe
DO  - 10.1016/j.chom.2026.05.030
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2026.05.030
AB  - Numerous studies have linked gut microbiome alterations to colorectal cancer (CRC), but limited sample sizes and study heterogeneity have hampered cross-study comparisons and subgroup analyses. Here, we present a comprehensive single-disease gut microbiome meta-analysis based on consistently re-computed and re-analyzed shotgun and amplicon sequencing profiles (n = 6,779 samples, 27 studies). Association and machine-learning analyses delineate CRC microbiome signatures, which are robustly generalizable across studies and sequencing approaches and nearly identical between early- and late-onset cases. Meta-analysis of the tumor-resident microbiome reveals characteristic tumor-enriched microbes in concordance with fecal signatures that are clearly detectable in early-stage tumors, although their detection in feces becomes moderately higher in late-stage and distal tumors, possibly due to dilution effects in stool. The unified fecal CRC signature inversely associates with dietary fiber intake and is modifiable by dietary interventions. Finally, genome-resolved functional analysis reveals variation in virulence factor carriage and geographic enrichment across Fusobacterium subspecies.
SN  - 1931-3128
SN  - 1934-6069
ER  -