Gut Microbiome Could Remain Disrupted For Over a Decade After Polyp Removal (ScienceAlert)

A new study published in Cell Host & Microbe suggests that removing precancerous colorectal polyps may not fully eliminate a person’s long-term risk of colorectal cancer because underlying changes in the gut microbiome can persist for more than a decade. Researchers compared stool samples from women who had adenomas removed approximately 12 years earlier with those from individuals who had never developed adenomas and found significant differences in 31 microbial species. The post-polypectomy microbiome also shared several characteristics previously linked to colorectal cancer, indicating that polyp removal may not restore the gut to a low-risk biological state.