Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. No commercial re-use. See permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.
World J Gastroenterol. Oct 28, 2026; 32(40): 120855
Published online Oct 28, 2026. doi: 10.3748/wjg.120855
Published online Oct 28, 2026. doi: 10.3748/wjg.120855
Longitudinal dynamics of the gut microbiota during colorectal cancer treatment: Insights and implications for therapy
Yang Zheng, Jian Ma, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Jining Public Health Medical Center, Jining 272100, Shandong Province, China
Dong-Rui Liu, Pediatric Science Major of Clinical Department, Jining Medical University, Jining 272067, Shandong Province, China
Wen-Bin Tan, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jining Medical University, Jining 272067, Shandong Province, China
Author contributions: Zheng Y revised the manuscript; Liu DR wrote the original draft; Ma J designed the manuscript concept; Tan WB finalized and submitted the manuscript.
Supported by China Association of Higher Education, No. 25DF0314; and JNMU College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program, No. cx2024252.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare no conflict of interest in publishing the manuscript.
Corresponding author: Wen-Bin Tan, PhD, Professor, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jining Medical University, No. 133 Hehua Road, Jining 272067, Shandong Province, China.
Received: March 10, 2026
Revised: April 14, 2026
Accepted: April 27, 2026
Published online: October 28, 2026
Processing time: 185 Days and 2.4 Hours
Revised: April 14, 2026
Accepted: April 27, 2026
Published online: October 28, 2026
Processing time: 185 Days and 2.4 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: The gut microbiota experiences significant perturbations during colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment, with surgery and chemotherapy collectively reducing microbial diversity and depleting both pathogenic and beneficial bacterial taxa. These longitudinal changes, characterized by the loss of short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria and the transient suppression of CRC-associated pathogens, have important implications for treatment efficacy, toxicity, and recovery. Understanding these temporal dynamics provides a rational foundation for developing microbiota-targeted interventions to optimize therapeutic outcomes in CRC management.