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Scientists say they may be one step closer to detecting the cause of the mystery rise in colon cancer in young people.
Researchers have discovered that people with an aggressive form of the disease have unusually high levels of three bacteria in the gut.
Fusobacterium, Clostridium and Shewanella can become more common because of a diet high in processed foods and low in fiber.
Testing for these three bacteria could help to diagnose those most at risk, the authors wrote.
It comes as colon cancer diagnoses among under-50s reach epidemic levels, with nearly 18,000 young adults now told they have the disease every year. For comparison, in 1999 the figure was less than 12,000.
The above graph shows colon cancer cases among under 50s by year. There is a drop in 2020 because the Covid pandemic led to fewer people coming forward for screenings
Kate Middleton, 42, was diagnosed with cancer following abdominal surgery earlier this year
For the study, scientists tested stool samples from 94 colon cancer patients including 24 with a KRAS mutation — which makes the cancer more aggressive.
Of the 26 bacteria species they tested for, the team found three which were more common among those with the more aggressive form of the disease.
Fusobacteriums can cause inflammation in the gut, the researchers warned, while Colstridium — such as C. difficile — can release toxins.
These raise the risk of damage to DNA in cells, which in turn increases the chance that they could turn cancerous.
For Shewanella, this bacteria proliferates on the surface of tumors, the team wrote — helping to support their growth.
Colon cancer is surging among under-50s, with cases of the disease rising 50 percent over two decades to nearly 18,000 per year.
It has also become the number one cause of cancer deaths among men in the age group and the number two cause among women.
Scientists are stumped as to the cause of the uptick, blaming everything from antibiotics to obesity and even a type of fungus.
A $25million global probe has also been launched to attempt to track down the causes.
Young patients diagnosed with colon cancer include Evan White, 24, from Dallas whose tumor was not detected until it had progressed to stage three — when the cancer is harder to treat.
He had been on track to marry his girlfriend and move to California, but he died after a four-year battle with the disease.
Others include Marisa Maddoz, a paralegal from Delaware, who was diagnosed with the disease at the age of 29 years.
She told DailyMail.com that treatment for the cancer has left her unable to have another child.
Kate Middleton, 42, bravely revealed last month that she had also been diagnosed with cancer following abdominal surgery.
She has not revealed the type of cancer that doctors detected, but her comments prompted an outpouring of support — and inspired some cancer survivors to share their stories.
Evan White, from Dallas, was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer at the age of 24 after going into hospital to get an abscess removed from his tonsils. On the right is Marisa Maddox who was diagnosed with the cancer at the age of 29 years, She now can’t have anymore children
Previous studies have suggested patients with higher levels of Fusobacteriums in their guts eat diets with more pickled foods, such as pickles, sauerkraut and herring.
They also consume less white meat — such as chicken — fruit, vegetables, beans and nuts.
People who consume more red and processed meats, refined grains — such as white rice, couscous and cornflakes — and carbonated beverages have also been found to have more fusobacteriums in their guts.
For Clostridium, studies in mice suggested that a high-fat diet could cause a surge in the population of this bacteria.
This group includes the bacteria C. difficile, which causes painful blooms in nearly 500,000 Americans every year — triggering symptoms including diarrhea and inflammation of the colon.
Scientists say cases can be caused by antibiotics, which can clear out healthy bacteria, but may also be linked to consuming a diet low in fibers from grains, fruits and vegetables.
Revealing the study, Dr Weizhong Tang said: ‘Our new work contributes to the growing body of evidence highlighting the significance of microbiota-driven mechanisms in cancer pathogenesis.
‘Understanding the specific associations between different types of KRAS mutations and colon cancer is vital.’
In the paper, published in Microbiology Spectrum, the scientists also found that Bifidobacteriums — linked to consumption of garlic, leeks and onions — could help to prevent the progression of colon cancer.
In the paper, the researchers also tried to make a machine learning model that could use information to help guide personalized treatment recommendations.
But it did not work, with the team saying a larger sample size was required.
A study from 2021 revealed that Fusobacteriums were more common in colon cancer patients who had higher intake of processed foods and red meats and lower intakes of fiber.
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