Characterization of tongue coating microbiome from patients with colorectal cancerOriginal paper
Karen Pendergrass is a microbiome researcher specializing in microbiome-targeted interventions (MBTIs). She systematically analyzes scientific literature to identify microbial patterns, develop hypotheses, and validate interventions. As the founder of the Microbiome Signatures Database, she bridges microbiome research with clinical practice. In 2012, based on her own investigative research, she became the first documented case of FMT for Celiac Disease, four years before the first published case study.
Read MoreWhat was studied?
This study characterized the tongue coating microbiome in relation to colorectal cancer (CRC) using metagenomic shotgun sequencing. The researchers compared microbial species diversity and functional pathways across tongue coating samples from cancer patients, precancerous polyp patients, and healthy individuals. They also examined whether distinguishable tongue fur types could be defined by the microbial communities present. A random forest model was built and tested to see whether tongue coating microbiome data could predict CRC status.
Who was studied?
The study included 90 participants divided into three equal groups of 30: patients with colorectal cancer, patients with colorectal polyps, and healthy controls. Tongue coating samples were collected directly from each participant for metagenomic sequencing. No further demographic details are given in the abstract.
What were the most important findings?
CRC samples showed greater species diversity than the other groups, along with a more prominent nucleoside and nucleotide biosynthesis pathway. Distinct species combinations across participants formed three separable tongue fur types. Using tongue coating microbiome profiling, a random forest model achieved an AUC of 0.915 in distinguishing CRC patients from controls, with Atopobium rimae, Streptococcus sanguinis, and Prevotella oris identified as key differentiating species.
What are the greatest implications of this study?
This is described as the first study to link tongue coating microbiome composition to colorectal cancer, suggesting the tongue could serve as a convenient, non-invasive sampling site for CRC-related biomarkers. The high discriminatory accuracy (AUC 0.915) points to potential diagnostic or screening applications based on tongue coating microbiota. The identification of distinct fur types also offers a new framework for understanding oral microbial community structure in relation to systemic disease. No mention of Candida, fungi, or the mycobiome appears in this abstract.