What does this research mean for the field?

The intestinal microbiome profiles differ by subtype in patients with early-stage invasive breast cancer, particularly in hormone receptor-positive/HER2-positive cases, and show stage-specific microbial signatures. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.NOVEL_FINDING. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to evaluate the intestinal microbiome differences between invasive breast cancer and ductal carcinoma in situ.

March 2, 2026Open Access

The landscape of the intestinal microbiome among patients with newly diagnosed invasive breast cancer and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)

Key Points

This research aims to evaluate the intestinal microbiome differences between invasive breast cancer and ductal carcinoma in situ.
Used whole genome metagenomic sequencing for microbiome profiling.
Compared microbiome composition using alpha and beta diversity metrics.
Analyzed differences by specific breast cancer subtypes and stages.
No significant differences in microbiome composition between DCIS and invasive BC (alpha diversity: p = 0.20, beta diversity: p = 0.52).
Hormone receptor-positive/HER2 positive BC showed significant differences in beta diversity (p < 0.05).
Bacteroides ovatus was more abundant in stage III BC compared to stage I (p = 0.0003).
Functional pathways related to amino acid biosynthesis were enriched in specific stages.

Abstract

The intestinal microbiome shapes immune responses and is associated with patient outcomes in cancer following immunotherapy. We evaluated differences between the intestinal microbiome profiles of patients with early-stage invasive breast cancer (BC) and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) by subtype using whole genome metagenomic sequencing. There were no significant differences in microbiome composition between DCIS and invasive BC as measured by alpha diversity (p = 0.20, ANOVA) or beta diversity (p = 0.52, PERMANOVA). Within invasive BC, patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR + )/HER2 + BC differed significantly in beta diversity relative to other subtypes (p < 0.05), with differences in six species (q < 0.25). Bacteroides ovatus was significantly more abundant in patients with stage III BC vs. stage I (p = 0.0003). Functional pathway analysis using HUMAnN3 revealed stage-specific enrichment of amino acid biosynthesis and nucleotide-related pathways. Altogether, these findings highlight potential microbial signatures associated with BC subtype and stage.

KI fragen

Bookmark

View Full Paper