Disease information

Colorectal cancer (CRC) typically starts as a benign tumor, often in the form of a polyp, which over time becomes cancerous. Globally, CRC is the third most common type of cancer, making up about 10% of all cases. Most CRCs are due to old age and lifestyle factors, as well as to cancer family history. The main risk factors include diet, obesity, smoking, alcohol, lack of physical activity, inflammatory bowel disease, adenomatous polyposis, and hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer.

Treatments may include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. The five-year survival rate in the United States is around 65%. Accumulative evidence has demonstrated that mucosa-associated bacteria harbor pro-tumoral properties, supporting an active role of bacteria as pathobionts. Some of the most relevant protumoral pathobionts are Escherichia coli, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Bacteroides fragilis.