Potential of Gut Microbiome Colorectal Cancer Treatments Explored at Hackensack University Medical Center

Colorectal surgeons give increasing focus to intestinal flora alteration impact on technical outcomes and disease development

Field-wide studies show that certain bacteria may contribute to the development of colorectal cancer by producing toxins that may damage colon cells or cause an accumulation of DNA mutations and/or intestinal inflammation. Altering the gut microbiome holds potential as a new treatment option for patients with colorectal cancer.

Now, researchers are looking at the possibility that certain bacterial strains detected in the stools of patients with colorectal cancer may actually have the opposite effects on intestinal healing and therefore on recovery.

This revelation marks an encouraging start to scientific investigation into the idea that modifying patients’ intestinal flora – through a mix of prebiotics and probiotics – could form the basis of a new therapeutic approach for colon cancer – the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the U.S. This approach could potentially be applied to positively affect surgical treatment success, an opportunity drawing the focus of colorectal surgeons at Hackensack University Medical Center.

“The microbiome is one exciting frontier in the area of colorectal surgery,” said Ryan Moore, M.D., colorectal surgeon at Hackensack University Medical Center. “The makeup of bacteria in the colon and how it affects our technical outcomes or how the environment itself affects the development of cancer is something we are looking at more and more.”

Learn more about colorectal surgery innovations at Hackensack University Medical Center.