The role of gut microbiota in the development of colorectal cancer: a review

Purpose: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the cancer of the colon and rectum. Recent research has found a link between CRC and human gut microbiota. This review explores the effect of gut microbiota on colorectal carcinogenesis and the development of chemoresistance. Methods: A literature overview was performed to identify the gut microbiota species that showed altered abundance in CRC patients and the mechanisms by which some of them aid in the development of chemoresistance. Results: Types of gut microbiota present and methods of analyzing them were discussed. We observed that numerous microbiota showed altered abundance in CRC patients and could act as a biomarker for CRC diagnosis and treatment. Further, it was demonstrated that microbes also have a role in the development of chemoresistance by mechanisms like immune system activation, drug modification, and autophagy modulation. Finally, the key issue of the growing global problem of antimicrobial resistance and its relationship with CRC was highlighted. Conclusion: This review discussed the role of gut microbiota dysbiosis on colorectal cancer progression and the development of chemoresistance. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature