Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common form of carcinoma with an increasing global incidence and fatality rates. The current strategies for reducing the incidence and mortality rates of CRC include early screening, prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, modern high‑throughput sequencing technologies in combination with the continuous in‑depth study of the microbiome have highlighted the roles of microorganisms in the development of CRC. In particular, studies have demonstrated that oral‑gut and gut‑oral microbial transmission can regulate the pathogenesis of various diseases, suggesting the existence of an oral‑gut microbiome axis. However, to the best of our knowledge, only a few studies to date have assessed the oral‑gut microbiome axis in the context of CRC. Therefore, the present review article aimed to discuss the current literature investigating the oral‑gut axis in order to further explore the association between the oral‑gut microbiome axis and CRC. These data may provide a novel strategy for the early screening, prevention and treatment of CRC.
Keywords: colorectal cancer; gut microbiome; microbiology; oral microbes; oral‑gut microbiome axis.