Plasma Bacterial DNA Load as a Potential Biomarker for the Early Detection of Colorectal Cancer: A Case–Control Study

Abstract

The gut microbiota has gained increasing attention in recent years due to its significant impact on colorectal cancer (CRC) development and progression. The recent detection of bacterial DNA load in plasma holds promise as a potential non-invasive approach for early cancer detection. The aim of this study was to examine the quantity of bacterial DNA present in the plasma of 50 patients who have CRC in comparison to 40 neoplastic disease-free patients, as well as to determine if there is a correlation between the amount of plasma bacterial DNA and various clinical parameters. Plasma bacterial DNA levels were found to be elevated in the CRC group compared to the control group. As it emerged from the logistic analysis (adjusted for age and gender), these levels were strongly associated with the risk of CRC (OR = 1.02, p < 0.001, 95% C.I.: 1.01–1.03). Moreover, an association was identified between a reduction in tumor mass and the highest tertile of plasma bacterial DNA. Our findings indicate that individuals with CRC displayed a higher plasma bacterial DNA load compared to healthy controls. This observation lends support to the theory of heightened bacterial migration from the gastrointestinal tract to the bloodstream in CRC. Furthermore, our results establish a link between this phenomenon and the size of the tumor mass.

Are Meteorin-Like Peptide and Asprosin Important in the Diagnosis of Breast Tumors?

“…Studies investigating the relationship between METRNL and cancer show that METRNL has a protumor effect in pancreatic cancer and emphasize that it is diagnostically valuable for bladder cancer, basal cell cancer of the skin and malignant mesothelioma [12,[13][14][15]. Recent developments indicate that METRNL plays an oncogenic role in cellular regulation in colorectal cancer [16] and is present in colorectal adenocarcinoma [17]. It is also thought that overproduction of METRNL may be associated with advanced colorectal cancer and poor prognosis.…”