Pre-surgery gut microbial diversity and abundance are associated with post-surgery onset of cachexia in colorectal cancer patients: the ColoCare Study.

Background: Cachexia accounts for about 20% of all cancer-related deaths and it is indicative of poor prognosis and progressive functional impairment. The role of the gut microbiome in the development of cachexia in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients has not been established.

Methods: Pre-surgical stool samples from n = 103 stage I-III CRC patients in the ColoCare Study were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing (Illumina) to characterize fecal bacteria.

Obesity promotes conserved inflammatory and metabolic transcriptional programs in mouse and human colon tumors.

Background: The global prevalence of obesity, an established risk and progression factor for colon cancer, is high and rising. Unfortunately, the mechanisms underlying the obesity-colon cancer association are incompletely understood, and new molecular targets enabling more effective intervention strategies to break the obesity-colon cancer link are urgently needed.

Objective: This study integrated RNA sequencing data from mouse and human colon tumor samples, as well as human adipose samples, to rigorously establish obesity-associated transcriptomic signatures conserved between the two species.

Circulatory prostate cancer proteome landscapes and prognostic biomarkers in metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer.

Background: Plasma-based high-plex proteomic profiling were performed in prostate cancer (PC) patients using the Olink® Explore Proximity Extension Assay to identify plasma proteins associated in different PC states and to explore potential prognostic biomarkers. The progressive PC states include local, organ-confined PC (local PC), metastatic hormone-sensitive PC (mHSPC) and metastatic castrate-resistant PC (mCRPC).

Methods: Plasma samples were uniformly processed from 84 PC patients (10 patients with local PC; 29 patients with mHSPC; 45 patients with mCRPC).

Sedentary behavior and physical activity one year after colorectal cancer diagnosis: results from the ColoCare Study.

Purpose: Physical activity plays key roles in colorectal cancer survivorship; however, the impact of different clinicodemographic outcomes on cross-sectional and longitudinal objectively measured physical activity 12 and 24 months post-diagnosis are unclear.

Methods: ColoCare study participants (n = 165) wore an Actigraph GT3x accelerometer for 4-10 consecutive days to objectively assess activity levels 12 and 24 months after colorectal cancer diagnosis and resection. Associations between these clinical/demographic exposures and physical activity outcomes and longitudinal changes were determined using t-test, ANOVA F-test, and linear regression modeling, adjusting for common confounders (e.

The gut microbiome is associated with disease-free survival in stage I-III colorectal cancer patients.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second overall leading cause of cancer death in the United States, with recurrence being a frequent cause of mortality. Approaches to improve disease-free survival (DFS) are urgently needed. The gut microbiome, reflected in fecal samples, is likely mechanistically linked to CRC progression and may serve as a non-invasive biomarker.

Circulating tryptophan-kynurenine pathway metabolites are associated with all-cause mortality among patients with stage I-III colorectal cancer.

Alterations within the tryptophan-kynurenine metabolic pathway have been linked to the etiology of colorectal cancer (CRC), but the relevance of this pathway for prognostic outcomes in CRC patients needs further elucidation. Therefore, we investigated associations between circulating concentrations of tryptophan-kynurenine pathway metabolites and all-cause mortality among CRC patients. This study utilizes data from 2102 stage I-III CRC patients participating in six prospective cohorts involved in the international FOCUS Consortium.

Risk factors and health behaviors associated with loneliness among cancer survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Loneliness may exacerbate poor health outcomes particularly among cancer survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Little is known about the risk factors of loneliness among cancer survivors. We evaluated the risk factors of loneliness in the context of COVID-19 pandemic-related prevention behaviors and lifestyle/psychosocial factors among cancer survivors.

Higher Plasma Creatinine Is Associated with an Increased Risk of Death in Patients with Non-Metastatic Rectal but Not Colon Cancer: Results from an International Cohort Consortium.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is increasingly recognized as a heterogeneous disease. No studies have prospectively examined associations of blood metabolite concentrations with all-cause mortality in patients with colon and rectal cancer separately. Targeted metabolomics (Biocrates Absolute p180) and pathway analyses (MetaboAnalyst 4.

Associations of combined physical activity and body mass index groups with colorectal cancer survival outcomes.

Background: Physical activity and BMI have been individually associated with cancer survivorship but have not yet been studied in combinations in colorectal cancer patients. Here, we investigate individual and combined associations of physical activity and BMI groups with colorectal cancer survival outcomes.

Methods: Self-reported physical activity levels (MET hrs/wk) were assessed using an adapted version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) at baseline in 931 patients with stage I-III colorectal cancer and classified into 'highly active' and'not-highly active'(≥ / < 18 MET hrs/wk).

Pre-Surgery Inflammatory and Angiogenesis Biomarkers as Predictors of 12-Month Cancer-Related Distress: Results from the ColoCare Study.

Background: Patients with colorectal cancer commonly suffer from complex psychological distress. Elevated distress may be linked to systemic biomarkers. We investigated associations of biomarkers of inflammation and angiogenesis with cancer-related distress (CTXD) score.

Differences in the gut microbiome by physical activity and BMI among colorectal cancer patients.

Associations of energy balance components, including physical activity and obesity, with colorectal cancer risk and mortality are well established. However, the gut microbiome has not been investigated as underlying mechanism. We investigated associations of physical activity, BMI, and combinations of physical activity/BMI with gut microbiome diversity and differential abundances among colorectal cancer patients.

Associations of Individual and Combined Physical Activity and Body Mass Index Groups with Proinflammatory Biomarkers among Colorectal Cancer Patients.

Background: Physical activity and obesity are well-established factors of colorectal cancer risk and prognosis. Here, we investigate associations of individual and combined physical activity and body mass index (BMI) groups with proinflammatory biomarkers in colorectal cancer patients.

Methods: Self-reported physical activity levels were classified as "active" (≥8.

Presurgery Adhesion Molecules and Angiogenesis Biomarkers Are Differently Associated with Outcomes in Colon and Rectal Cancer: Results from the ColoCare Study.

Background: Cell-to-cell adhesion and angiogenesis are hallmarks of cancer. No studies have examined associations of adhesion molecules and angiogenesis biomarkers with clinical outcomes in colorectal cancer.

Methods: In presurgery serum from n = 426 patients with colorectal cancer (stage I-III), we investigated associations of CRP, SAA, adhesion molecules (sICAM-1, sVCAM-1), and angiogenesis markers (VEGF-A and VEGF-D) with overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and risk of recurrence.

Factors associated with changes in exercise behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Purpose: There is limited information on how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed health behaviors among cancer patients. We examined changes in exercise behaviors since the pandemic and identified characteristics associated with these changes among cancer patients.

Methods: Cancer patients (n = 1,210) completed a survey from August to September 2020 to assess COVID-19 pandemic-related changes in health behaviors and psychosocial factors.

Higher vitamin B6 status is associated with improved survival among patients with stage I-III colorectal cancer.

Background: Folate-mediated 1-carbon metabolism requires several nutrients, including vitamin B6. Circulating biomarker concentrations indicating high vitamin B6 status are associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, little is known about the effect of B6 status in relation to clinical outcomes in CRC patients.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural and urban cancer patients' experiences, health behaviors, and perceptions.

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many facets of life. We evaluated pandemic-related health care experiences, COVID-19 prevention behaviors and measures, health behaviors, and psychosocial outcomes among rural and urban cancer patients.

Methods: Among 1,472 adult cancer patients, who visited Huntsman Cancer Institute in the past 4 years and completed a COVID-19 survey (August-September 2020), we assessed the impact of the pandemic on medical appointments, prevention/health behaviors, and psychosocial factors, stratified by urbanicity.

Association of circulating leukocyte telomere length with survival in patients with colorectal cancer.

Introduction: Telomere shortening, as seen with aging, can cause chromosomal instability and promote cancer progression. We investigated the association between circulating telomere length and overall and disease-free survival in a sub-cohort of patients with colorectal cancer.

Methods: Baseline genomic DNA from blood leukocytes was extracted from N = 92 newly diagnosed stage I-IV patients with colorectal cancer enrolled at the ColoCare Study site in Heidelberg, Germany.

The Use of Human Serum Samples to Study Malignant Transformation: A Pilot Study.

Obesity and excess adiposity account for approximately 20% of all cancer cases; however, biomarkers of risk remain to be elucidated. While fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2) is emerging as an attractive candidate biomarker for visceral adipose tissue mass, the role of circulating FGF2 in malignant transformation remains unknown. Moreover, functional assays for biomarker discovery are limited.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on exercise habits among cancer patients.

Purpose There is limited information on how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed health behaviors among cancer patients. We examined the impact of the pandemic on changes in exercise behaviors and identified characteristics associated with these changes among cancer patients. Methods Cancer patients (n   1,361) completed a survey from August-September 2020 to assess COVID-19 pandemic-related changes in health behaviors and psychosocial factors.

Association of Sugar Intake with Inflammation- and Angiogenesis-Related Biomarkers in Newly Diagnosed Colorectal Cancer Patients.

Evidence suggests a positive association between sugar intake and colorectal cancer (CRC) outcomes. We sought to investigate inflammation and angiogenesis as underlying mechanisms behind increased sugar intake and worse CRC outcomes. Pre-surgery serum samples were obtained from 191 patients diagnosed with primary invasive stage I-IV CRC.

Fusobacterium nucleatum and Clinicopathologic Features of Colorectal Cancer: Results From the ColoCare Study.

Background: Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn), a bacterium associated with a wide spectrum of infections, has emerged as a key microbe in colorectal carcinogenesis. However, the underlying mechanisms and clinical relevance of Fn in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain incompletely understood.

Patients And Methods: We examined associations between Fn abundance and clinicopathologic characteristics among 105 treatment-naïve CRC patients enrolled in the international, prospective ColoCare Study.

Targeted Plasma Metabolic Profiles and Risk of Recurrence in Stage II and III Colorectal Cancer Patients: Results from an International Cohort Consortium.

The identification of patients at high-risk for colorectal cancer (CRC) recurrence remains an unmet clinical need. The aim of this study was to investigate associations of metabolites with risk of recurrence in stage II/III CRC patients. A targeted metabolomics assay (128 metabolites measured) was performed on pre-surgery collected EDTA plasma samples from n = 440 newly diagnosed stage II/III CRC patients.