The Claim

In patients with unexplained colorectal polyposis, 29% of somatic adenoma or carcinoma samples contain APC gene variants with mutational signatures consistent with colibactin-associated SBS88 and ID18 patterns, indicating that colibactin-producing bacteria may contribute to DNA damage in a substantial subset of these patients.

Source: Enrichment of colibactin-associated mutational signatures in unexplained colorectal polyposis patients

What the research says

Supports is higher

Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.

Supports
44score
Challenges
0score

These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.

How it works
1 study reviewed
In plain English

In people with unexplained colorectal polyps, nearly one in three tumor samples shows a specific type of DNA damage pattern that is commonly caused by a bacterial toxin called colibactin, suggesting this bacterium may be involved in causing DNA mutations in some cases.

See the scientific wording

In patients with unexplained colorectal polyposis, 29% of somatic adenoma or carcinoma samples harbor APC gene variants with mutational patterns matching the colibactin-associated signatures SBS88 and ID18, suggesting these bacterial genotoxins may contribute to DNA damage in a substantial subset of these patients.

What the research says

1 study
  1. Study: Enrichment of colibactin-associated mutational signatures in unexplained colorectal polyposis patients

    This study found that in people with unexplained colon polyps, about 1 in 3 had DNA damage patterns that match a toxin made by a specific gut bacteria called colibactin. This suggests the bacteria might be causing some of these polyps to form.

Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies

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