Lifestyle-associated gut microbiota signatures in colorectal cancer patients: a pilot case–control study
7 affiliations
- 1Integrative Health Center, Heliopolis University, Cairo, Egypt
- 2Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Heliopolis University, Cairo, Egypt
- 3Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
- 4Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Kasr Al Aini Hospital, Cairo, Egypt
- 5Department of Clinical Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Kasr Al Aini Hospital, Cairo, Egypt
- 6Faculty of Pharmacy, Heliopolis University, Cairo, Egypt
- 7Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Delta University for Science and Technology, Gamasa, Egypt
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in men and the second in women, accounting for 9.4% of cancer-related deaths worldwide in 2020. Increasing evidence highlights the role of gut microbiota in CRC pathogenesis, prognosis, and therapeutic response. Data from Middle Eastern and North African populations remains scarce. This study aimed to analyze gut microbiota profiles in Egyptian patients with CRC and to explore their associations with dietary and lifestyle factors.
Material and Methods: A pilot case-control study was conducted, involving patients with CRC and healthy controls. Gut microbiota composition was assessed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, with analysis of microbial diversity and differential taxonomic abundance at the family and genus levels. Dietary patterns, physical activity, and demographic variables were evaluated for their associations with microbial profiles.
Results: CRC patients exhibited greater microbial heterogeneity, with higher Bray–Curtis distances compared to controls. Several taxa, such as Coprococcus_2 , Ruminococcus , Blautia, and Dorea, were abundant in controls and adjacent normal tissues, whereas Lachnospiraceae UCG-010 was increased in CRC samples. Spicy food intake was linked to enrichment of Prevotellaceae and Christensenellaceae R-7 , while processed meat consumption was associated with reduced abundance of Fusicatenibacter. Regular physical activity was associated with increased Akkermansia abundance among CRC patients. Additionally, sex-specific microbial patterns were observed, with Collinsella , Eggerthella , and Prevotella _ 9 more abundant in males.
Conclusions: This pilot study identifies clinically relevant, exploratory associations between lifestyle factors and CRC-related microbial signatures in an understudied population. All findings should be considered hypothesis-generating, given the small sample size and cross-sectional design. These results highlight the potential role of modifiable behaviors in microbiome-informed risk stratification. Larger, multi-center studies incorporating multi-omics approaches are warranted to confirm and extend these preliminary observations.
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BibTeX
@article{eladawy2026lifestyleassociated,
title = {{Lifestyle-associated gut microbiota signatures in colorectal cancer patients: a pilot case–control study}},
author = {Sara M. ElAdawy and Hend Talkhan and Khalid Orayj and Gehan F. Balata and Marwa Saeed and Ahmed A. Abdelkader and Hany N. Azzam and Noha A. Abdelrazek and Inas Abdou Mahmoud and Mostafa ElHaddad and Sama M. Momen and Maram Hamada and Mayar Hamada and Alaa O. Elyousefy and Kholoud A. Hashem and Mona A. Alshikhari and Ghena M. Deeb and Sohair M. Elgohary and Masa M. Albakri and Amany Mohamed and Toka Arshad and Nadra S. El-Sayed and Rahma S. Etman and Mohaned M. Nawar and Esraa E. Sobhy},
journal = {PeerJ},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.7717/peerj.21829},
url = {https://peerj.com/articles/21829},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Lifestyle-associated gut microbiota signatures in colorectal cancer patients: a pilot case–control study
AU - Sara M. ElAdawy
AU - Hend Talkhan
AU - Khalid Orayj
AU - Gehan F. Balata
AU - Marwa Saeed
AU - Ahmed A. Abdelkader
AU - Hany N. Azzam
AU - Noha A. Abdelrazek
AU - Inas Abdou Mahmoud
AU - Mostafa ElHaddad
AU - Sama M. Momen
AU - Maram Hamada
AU - Mayar Hamada
AU - Alaa O. Elyousefy
AU - Kholoud A. Hashem
AU - Mona A. Alshikhari
AU - Ghena M. Deeb
AU - Sohair M. Elgohary
AU - Masa M. Albakri
AU - Amany Mohamed
AU - Toka Arshad
AU - Nadra S. El-Sayed
AU - Rahma S. Etman
AU - Mohaned M. Nawar
AU - Esraa E. Sobhy
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/27
JO - PeerJ
DO - 10.7717/peerj.21829
UR - https://peerj.com/articles/21829
AB - Background and Objectives: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in men and the second in women, accounting for 9.4% of cancer-related deaths worldwide in 2020. Increasing evidence highlights the role of gut microbiota in CRC pathogenesis, prognosis, and therapeutic response. Data from Middle Eastern and North African populations remains scarce. This study aimed to analyze gut microbiota profiles in Egyptian patients with CRC and to explore their associations with dietary and lifestyle factors. Material and Methods: A pilot case-control study was conducted, involving patients with CRC and healthy controls. Gut microbiota composition was assessed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, with analysis of microbial diversity and differential taxonomic abundance at the family and genus levels. Dietary patterns, physical activity, and demographic variables were evaluated for their associations with microbial profiles. Results: CRC patients exhibited greater microbial heterogeneity, with higher Bray–Curtis distances compared to controls. Several taxa, such as Coprococcus_2 , Ruminococcus , Blautia, and Dorea, were abundant in controls and adjacent normal tissues, whereas Lachnospiraceae UCG-010 was increased in CRC samples. Spicy food intake was linked to enrichment of Prevotellaceae and Christensenellaceae R-7 , while processed meat consumption was associated with reduced abundance of Fusicatenibacter. Regular physical activity was associated with increased Akkermansia abundance among CRC patients. Additionally, sex-specific microbial patterns were observed, with Collinsella , Eggerthella , and Prevotella _ 9 more abundant in males. Conclusions: This pilot study identifies clinically relevant, exploratory associations between lifestyle factors and CRC-related microbial signatures in an understudied population. All findings should be considered hypothesis-generating, given the small sample size and cross-sectional design. These results highlight the potential role of modifiable behaviors in microbiome-informed risk stratification. Larger, multi-center studies incorporating multi-omics approaches are warranted to confirm and extend these preliminary observations.
SN - 2167-8359
ER -