{
  "id": 11177400,
  "title": "Scientists Studied 1,300 Cancer Patients, Then Found a Pattern in the Gut",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/scientists-studied-1-300-cancer-patients-then-found-a-pattern-in-the",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-01T11:15:23.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Newsweek",
    "slug": "newsweek",
    "url": "https://www.newsweek.com/scientists-studied-1300-cancer-patients-then-found-pattern-gut-12511218"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A team of researchers from the Mayo Clinic analyzed stool samples from over 1,300 cancer patients, uncovering unique patterns in the gut microbiome associated with five major cancer groups. The findings, published in Cell, revealed distinct microbial signatures for early-onset colorectal and breast cancers, which have been on the rise among younger adults. Patients with early-onset colorectal cancer exhibited higher levels of lactate and the bacterium Veillonella parvula, while younger breast cancer patients displayed changes in 64 bacterial species and reduced levels of primary bile acids. The study's lead author, gastroenterologist Purna C. Kashyap, M.B.B.S., noted the potential of these findings as biomarkers and mechanistic leads for future research. The researchers also identified 341 bacterial species linked to five cancer groups, with neuroendocrine tumors associated with a loss of beneficial gut bacteria and liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancers showing higher levels of certain microbes. The study further suggested the microbiome could predict patients' risk of treatment side effects, particularly among those receiving 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy, who were found to have lower levels of bacterial genes capable of breaking down the medication before treatment began.",
  "summary": "A Mayo Clinic researcher told Newsweek he's \"cautiously optimistic\" microbiome cancer tests are nearing clinics.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}