Demirli Atici S. Innovative insights into gut microbiota modulation in colorectal cancer: From microbial dysbiosis to therapeutic strategies. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2025; 17(11): 108747 [DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v17.i11.108747]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Semra Demirli Atici, MD, Department of General Surgery, Acibadem Kent Hospital, Ataşehir Mahallesi 8229/1, Sokak, Izmir 35620, Türkiye. smrdemirli@hotmail.com
Research Domain of This Article
Surgery
Article-Type of This Article
Letter to the Editor
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Nov 15, 2025 (publication date) through Nov 13, 2025
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Journal Information of This Article
Publication Name
World Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology
ISSN
1948-5204
Publisher of This Article
Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Demirli Atici S. Innovative insights into gut microbiota modulation in colorectal cancer: From microbial dysbiosis to therapeutic strategies. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2025; 17(11): 108747 [DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v17.i11.108747]
World J Gastrointest Oncol. Nov 15, 2025; 17(11): 108747 Published online Nov 15, 2025. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v17.i11.108747
Innovative insights into gut microbiota modulation in colorectal cancer: From microbial dysbiosis to therapeutic strategies
Semra Demirli Atici
Semra Demirli Atici, Department of General Surgery, Acibadem Kent Hospital, Izmir 35620, Türkiye
Author contributions: Demirli Atici S prepared, collected literature, performed analysis and wrote the manuscript, read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The author declares no conflict of interest in publishing the manuscript.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Semra Demirli Atici, MD, Department of General Surgery, Acibadem Kent Hospital, Ataşehir Mahallesi 8229/1, Sokak, Izmir 35620, Türkiye. smrdemirli@hotmail.com
Received: April 22, 2025 Revised: June 2, 2025 Accepted: June 27, 2025 Published online: November 15, 2025 Processing time: 206 Days and 6.3 Hours
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is increasingly recognized as a multifactorial disease influenced by hereditary, environmental, and microbial factors. This article explores recent insights into the role of gut microbiota dysbiosis in CRC pathogenesis and progression. Key differences in microbial composition, characterized by enrichment of pro-carcinogenic species such as Fusobacterium nucleatum and Bacteroides fragilis and depletion of beneficial commensals like Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, have been identified alongside changes in microbial metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids and secondary bile acids. We discuss immune system modulation by the microbiota, formation of bacterial biofilms, and the activation of host pathways such as the urea cycle during tumorigenesis. Special attention is given to therapeutic innovations, including microbiota-informed precision modelling, synthetic biology-based engineered probiotics, and evolving alternatives to fecal microbiota transplantation. These integrative strategies represent promising tools in the era of personalized oncology for CRC.
Core Tip: This article clarifies the complex involvement of the gut microbiota in colorectal cancer (CRC), emphasizing the influence of microbial metabolites, immunological interactions, biofilm formation, and the therapeutic potential of fecal microbiota transplantation. It also presents innovative future directions, including engineered probiotics and microbiota-informed risk stratification models, which may advance precision oncology in CRC care.
