Wright Chloe¹, Walker Daniel², Bennett Olivia³, Carter Olivia⁴, Bailey Chloe⁵, Harris James⁶, Wright Ethan⁷, Perry Benjamin⁸
ABSTRACT:
Colorectal cancer (CRC) development is intricately linked to gut microbiota dysbiosis and their metabolic byproducts. This review explores microbiota-derived metabolites as biomarkers for CRC risk, progression, and therapeutic response. Key metabolites include butyrate (anti-tumor, <2.0 μM in high-risk patients), deoxycholic acid (pro-carcinogenic, >1.5 μM), and trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO, >10 μM predictive of advanced adenomas). Advances in multi-omics integration (metagenomics, metabolomics) and machine learning models (AUC 0.89) enable stratification of CRC subtypes based on microbial signatures. Challenges in biomarker validation, host genetic variability, and diet-microbiota interactions are addressed, with future directions emphasizing personalized interventions targeting microbial networks and AI-driven biomarker panels for early detection.