How weight-loss (bariatric) surgery changes gut bacteria and colon cancer risk
Gut microbiota-related mechanisms that impact colorectal cancer risk after bariatric surgery
This project looks at how gut bacteria, bile acids, and other body changes after bariatric surgery might affect future colorectal (colon) cancer risk in adults who had the operation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11182510 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be followed before and after bariatric surgery with regular blood and stool samples and questions about diet, medications, and health. Researchers will analyze shifts in gut bacteria species, bile acids, metabolism, and immune markers over time. They will connect those biological changes to known colorectal cancer risk factors to see which shifts may raise or lower risk. The work builds on an existing group of bariatric patients and combines lab tests with detailed patient data collected over months to years.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who have had or plan to have bariatric surgery and who can provide blood and stool samples and attend follow-up visits are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who have not had bariatric surgery or who cannot provide samples or participate in follow-up visits are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify post-surgery changes that increase or decrease colon cancer risk and inform targeted follow-up or prevention strategies for bariatric patients.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have linked gut microbiota and bile acids to colorectal cancer, but longitudinal work specifically tracking changes after bariatric surgery is limited and this approach is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Nashville, United States
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center — Nashville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yu, Danxia — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Yu, Danxia
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.