Metabolomics and Detection of Colorectal Cancer in Humans: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Metabolomics represents one of the new omics sciences and capitalizes on the unique presence and concentration of small molecules in tissues and body fluids to construct a ‘fingerprint’ that can be unique to the individual and, within that individual, unique to environmental influences, including health and disease states. As such, metabolomics has the potential to serve an important role in diagnosis and management of human conditions. Colorectal cancer is a major public health concern. Current population-based screening methods are suboptimal and whether metabolomics could represent a new tool of screening is under investigation. The purpose of this systematic review is to summarize existing literature on metabolomics and colorectal cancer, in terms of diagnostic accuracies and distinguishing metabolites. Eight studies are included. A total of 12 metabolites (taurine, lactate, choline, inositol, glycine, phosphocholine, proline, phenylalanine, alanine, threonine, valine and leucine) were found to be more prevalent in colorectal cancer and glucose was found to be in higher proportion in control specimens using tissue metabolomics. Serum and urine metabolomics identified several other differential metabolites between controls and colorectal cancer patients. This article highlights the novelty of the field of metabolomics in colorectal oncology.

Keywords:

• colorectal cancer
• diagnostic test
• metabolomics
• screening
• serum
• tissue
• urine

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Haili Wang’s Masters’ thesis project is studying the role of urine metabolomics as a new screening tool for colorectal cancer. Carolyn Slupsky currently holds equity interest in Metabolistics Inc., a biotechnology company in the metabolomics domain, and holds intellectual property interest in this field. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Donna Dryden for her help in discussing and refining the topic for this review, to Lisa Tjosvold for her help with developing a search strategy for this article and to Seema Patel for her help in proofreading one of the many versions of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

Haili Wang’s Masters’ thesis project is studying the role of urine metabolomics as a new screening tool for colorectal cancer. Carolyn Slupsky currently holds equity interest in Metabolistics Inc., a biotechnology company in the metabolomics domain, and holds intellectual property interest in this field. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.