World journal of microbiology & biotechnologyOct 14, 2025

Gut bacteria and short-chain fatty acid patterns linked to stomach cancer wasting and their clinical importance

Circadian Biology Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Apr 1, 2026

Abstract

Cachectic gastric cancer patients showed significantly lower BMI and higher inflammatory markers compared to non-cachectic patients.

Cachectic patients experienced greater weight loss and had elevated levels of inflammatory markers such as CRP, IL1, IL6, and TNF-α.
Microbial diversity was significantly reduced in cachectic patients, evidenced by lower Shannon and Chao1 indices.
Distinct gut microbiota community structures were identified between cachectic and non-cachectic groups.
Ten genus-level microbial taxa, including Faecalibacterium, Prevotella, and Streptococcus, were identified as potential biomarkers.
Levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as acetate, heptanoate, and butyrate were significantly lower in cachectic patients.
Strong correlations were found between changes in microbial composition, SCFAs levels, and clinical parameters.

Simplified

Cachexia is a common complication in gastric cancer patients, yet its microbiome-based mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study investigated gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) profiles in gastric cancer cachexia patients to evaluate their potential as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Fecal samples and clinical data were collected from 24 cachectic and 24 non-cachectic gastric cancer patients. Gut microbiota composition was analyzed via 16 S rRNA sequencing, and SCFAs levels were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Bioinformatic approaches identified potential biomarkers and evaluated correlations with clinical features. Cachectic patients exhibited significantly lower BMI, higher weight loss, and elevated inflammatory markers (CRP, IL1, IL6, TNF-α; p < 0.05). Microbial α-diversity was significantly reduced (Shannon and Chao1 indices, p < 0.05), while β-diversity analyses revealed distinct community structures between groups. Ten genus-level microbial taxa were identified as potential biomarkers, including Faecalibacterium, Prevotella, and Streptococcus (p < 0.05). Functional prediction indicated significant alterations in carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism pathways. SCFAs levels, including acetate, heptanoate, and butyrate, were significantly lower in cachectic patients (p < 0.05), demonstrating promising diagnostic value (AUC: butyrate 0.792, heptanoate 0.797, acetate 0.760). Strong correlations were observed between microbial composition changes, SCFAs levels, and clinical parameters. This study reveals distinct gut microbiota and SCFAs profiles in gastric cancer cachexia patients, elucidating disease mechanisms and providing insights for early diagnosis and targeted interventions. These findings advance our understanding of cachexia pathophysiology and support developing microbiome-based diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

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Gut bacteria and short-chain fatty acid patterns linked to stomach cancer wasting and their clinical importance

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