Gut Biomarkers Linked to Two Gastrointestinal Cancers

Researchers have identified a range of biomarkers associated with gastrointestinal diseases (GIDs) including gastric cancer (GC), colorectal cancer (CRC), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). These findings could support earlier, less invasive detection and treatment options.

The study examined gut bacteria and metabolites related to each condition. It found that some biomarkers indicate risk across more than one disease, pointing to overlapping biological pathways.

Using advanced machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms, the team analysed microbiome and metabolome data from patients with GC, CRC, and IBD. Cross-disease comparisons showed models trained on GC data could accurately predict biomarkers for IBD. Similarly, models based on CRC data could predict GC biomarkers with high accuracy.

The researchers from the University of Birmingham Dubai, the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, and University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust published the results in Journal of Translational Medicine.

The study revealed specific bacterial groups and metabolites linked to each disease. In GC, bacteria from Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria were common, along with changes in metabolites such as dihydrouracil and taurine. Some of these markers also appeared in IBD, suggesting shared features. However, these markers were less effective for identifying CRC.

For CRC, bacteria including Fusobacterium and Enterococcus were important, alongside metabolites like isoleucine and nicotinamide. Some overlap with GC biomarkers suggests common disease mechanisms.

IBD was associated with bacteria from the Lachnospiraceae family and metabolites such as urobilin and glycerate. Some IBD biomarkers were also involved in cancer pathways, highlighting connections between inflammatory and cancerous conditions.

The team also simulated gut microbial growth and metabolite fluxes, identifying significant metabolic differences between healthy and diseased states.

This cross-disease analysis underscores the potential of using biomarkers identified in one gastrointestinal disease to detect others. This approach could help develop universal diagnostic tools for multiple GIDs.

Future work will focus on clinical applications, including creating non-invasive diagnostic tests and therapies tailored to these biomarkers. The researchers also plan to validate their findings in larger, more diverse patient groups and explore biomarker roles in related diseases.

Reference: Philip D, Hodgkiss R, Radhakrishnan SK, et al. Deciphering microbial and metabolic influences in gastrointestinal diseases-unveiling their roles in gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, and inflammatory bowel disease. J Transl Med. 2025. doi: 10.1186/s12967-025-06552-w