(NewsNation) — Colorectal cancer is associated with certain microbiomes that produce microbial signatures that can be detected by a machine-learning algorithm, new research finds.

A meta-analysis conducted by European researchers examined almost 6,800 microbiome profiles, finding a microbial signature that is linked to colorectal cancer, which could lead to tests that assess risk and prevent cancer.

Colorectal cancer has been on the rise in younger people, even as it has dropped in older adults. It is the second leading cause of cancer deaths, with death rates also growing among younger people who are not routinely screened the way older adults are.

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Data from 27 studies were analyzed by researchers, who found consistent cancer microbiome patterns using a machine-learning algorithm. Those patterns were linked to dietary fiber intake and the microbiome signature was detectable in early-stage tumors.

The paper, published in Cell Host & Microbiome, is one of the most comprehensive analyses on the subject to date.

Previous studies examining gut microbiomes in connection with colorectal cancer used different sequencing methods, making it challenging to know which microbial changes are reproducible.

The team created a machine-learning algorithm that could score samples on how cancer-like a microbiome is, which can be applied to any dataset.

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Researchers suggest the tool built for the research could help build tools for risk assessment, early detection or personalized prevention research, but there is more work to be done to get to that point.

A lower dietary fiber intake had strong associations with cancer-associated microbiome patterns, while high-fiber microbiome signatures were linked to reduced colorectal microbiome signatures.

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