Blood Test Spots Early Cancer with 95% accuracy Using Gut Bacteria RNA (Jul 2025) Modifications of microbiome-derived cell-free RNA in plasma discriminates colorectal cancer samples Testing

[Michael Harrop]

https://scienceblog.com/blood-test-spots-early-cancer-using-gut-bacteria-rna/
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41587-025-02731-8

When cancer develops, nearby gut bacteria respond by altering their cellular activity, leaving detectable molecular fingerprints in the bloodstream through modified RNA fragments.

The research team discovered that gut bacteria release RNA fragments into the bloodstream that carry chemical modifications reflecting their metabolic state. In cancer patients, these bacterial RNA modifications change dramatically compared to healthy individuals, creating a unique molecular signature detectable through blood analysis.

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Abstract​

Circulating cell-free RNA (cfRNA) in plasma represents a promising avenue for cancer detection. We report low-input multiple methylation sequencing, a method for profiling modification patterns in cfRNA, enabling the detection of diverse transfer RNAs and small noncoding RNAs derived from both the human genome and the microbiome. RNA modification patterns in microbiome-derived cfRNA accurately reflect host microbiota activity and hold potential for the early detection of colorectal cancer.

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