Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) continues to be a major global health concern. Recent advances in molecular biology have highlighted the gut microbiota's role in CRC. This study investigates long-term (≥5 years) gut microbiota changes in patients postcholecystectomy, comparing them with CRC patients and healthy controls to assess their impact on CRC development.
Methods: Sixty participants were divided into three groups: 20 healthy controls, 20 postcholecystectomy (PCE) patients, and 20 CRC patients. Demographic data and stool samples were collected. Gut microbiota composition, abundance, and diversity were analyzed using high-throughput 16S rDNA sequencing.
Results: Significant differences in microbial community, α-diversity ( P < 0.05) and β-diversity ( P = 0.006), were observed among the three groups. At the phylum level, Firmicutes abundance was significantly reduced in PCE and CRC groups compared with the control group ( P = 0.002), while changes in other phyla were not significant ( P >0.05). At the genus level, Bacteroides , Dialister , and Parabacteroides increased progressively from control to PCE to CRC groups ( P = 0.004, 0.001, and 0.002). Prevotella decreased across these groups ( P = 0.041). Faecalibacterium and Roseburia abundances were reduced in PCE and CRC groups compared with controls ( P = 0.001 and 0.003). The Random Forest algorithm identified Parabacteroides , Bacteroides , Roseburia , and Dialister as key distinguishing genera.
Conclusion: The gut microbiota of long-term (≥5 years) PCE patients significantly differs from that of controls and resembles that of CRC patients, suggesting a potential link between cholecystectomy and CRC development through key microbial changes.
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