A diet rich in fiber can help prevent colorectal cancer, a big claim in research

New research has found a link between gut microbiome patterns linked to cancer and low dietary fiber intake. Additionally, higher fiber intake was found to reduce signs of colorectal cancer in the microbiome.

This research has been published in the journal Cell Host and Microbe. It has been said that intake of fiber in food, especially, can be helpful in reducing the risk, progression or prevention of colorectal cancer by changing the bacteria present in the intestines.

27 Re-analysis of research data

Researchers from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory re-analyzed data from 27 studies, which included 6,779 available gut microbiome sequencing profiles. They also analyzed 906 intestinal tissue samples to compare stool-based microbiome signals directly with microbes found in tumor tissue.

The team identified microbial signatures associated with colorectal cancer. "We used comparisons of stool and tissue, dietary information, taxonomic analysis down to the types of bacteria (strains), and analysis of the mechanisms of action of disease-causing factors," said researcher George Zeiler. In the tissue samples, cancer-associated microbes were detected in early-stage tumors.

However, the accuracy of detecting early-stage cancer and tumors located in the upper part of the colon in stool samples was slightly lower. To our knowledge, this study is the largest single-disease microbiome meta-analysis to date. It includes samples taken from 34 study groups.