Next Article in Journal
In Vitro Evaluation of the Probiotic Properties and Whole Genome Sequencing of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus J3205 Isolated from Home-Made Fermented Sauce
Previous Article in Journal
Encapsulation of Fresh Spirulina Biomass in Alginate Spheres for Yogurt Fortification
Previous Article in Special Issue
Microbiome-Induced Microenvironmental Changes Before and After Breast Cancer Treatment
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Microorganisms
Volume 13
Issue 7
10.3390/microorganisms13071644
microorganisms-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Fusobacterium nucleatum Is Associated with Tumor Characteristics, Immune Microenvironment, and Survival in Appendiceal Cancer

by
Christopher Sherry
1,
Neda Dadgar
2,
Hyun Park
1,
Chelsea Knotts
1,
Erin Grayhack
1,
Rose Blodgett
1,
Kunhong Xiao
1,
Ashten N. Omstead
1,
Albert D. Donnenberg
1,3,
David L. Bartlett
1,
Vera Donnenberg
1,4,
Ajay Goel
5,
Ali H. Zaidi
1 and
Patrick L. Wagner
1,*
1
Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
2
Translational Hematology and Medical Oncology Department, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195 , USA
3
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
4
Department of Medicine, Drexel University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
5
City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Microorganisms 2025, 13(7), 1644; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13071644
Submission received: 5 June 2025 / Revised: 27 June 2025 / Accepted: 30 June 2025 / Published: 11 July 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Microbiome in Ecosystems)
Review Reports Versions Notes

Abstract

Emerging evidence highlights the role of the tumor microbiome, including Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn), in a wide range of gastrointestinal cancers. Fn purportedly contributes to tumorigenesis by activating oncogenic pathways and modulating immune responses. Although the prevalence and impact of Fn has been extensively studied in colorectal cancer, no previous systematic or in situ studies have been performed in appendiceal cancer (AC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and association of Fn density in AC with clinical factors and oncologic outcomes. Archival tissue from 54 patients with AC was assessed for Fn density using RNA in situ hybridization. Clinicopathological variables were obtained for each case through electronic medical record review, and the immune microenvironment was characterized in each case using immunohistochemistry to quantify CD3+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes and M1-/M2-like tumor-associated macrophages. In AC, Fn density was associated with patient age, tumor grade, and histologic subtype. Fn was negatively associated with CD3+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes and positively associated with M2-like TAMs in low-grade AC. Interestingly, tumor Fn content was associated with better overall and progression-free survival, even when controlling for tumor grade. In this exploratory study, we found that Fn is prevalent in AC. Fn is associated with a number of clinical, pathologic, immunologic, and prognostic variables in AC that are distinct from the corresponding observed associations in colorectal cancer. Further research is warranted to validate these findings and explore the mechanistic contributions of Fn to AC pathogenesis or immune response.
Keywords: appendiceal cancer; Fusobacterium nucleatum; immune microenvironment; tumor microbiome; survival outcomes appendiceal cancer; Fusobacterium nucleatum; immune microenvironment; tumor microbiome; survival outcomes

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Sherry, C.; Dadgar, N.; Park, H.; Knotts, C.; Grayhack, E.; Blodgett, R.; Xiao, K.; Omstead, A.N.; Donnenberg, A.D.; Bartlett, D.L.; et al. Fusobacterium nucleatum Is Associated with Tumor Characteristics, Immune Microenvironment, and Survival in Appendiceal Cancer. Microorganisms 2025, 13, 1644. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13071644

AMA Style

Sherry C, Dadgar N, Park H, Knotts C, Grayhack E, Blodgett R, Xiao K, Omstead AN, Donnenberg AD, Bartlett DL, et al. Fusobacterium nucleatum Is Associated with Tumor Characteristics, Immune Microenvironment, and Survival in Appendiceal Cancer. Microorganisms. 2025; 13(7):1644. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13071644

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sherry, Christopher, Neda Dadgar, Hyun Park, Chelsea Knotts, Erin Grayhack, Rose Blodgett, Kunhong Xiao, Ashten N. Omstead, Albert D. Donnenberg, David L. Bartlett, and et al. 2025. "Fusobacterium nucleatum Is Associated with Tumor Characteristics, Immune Microenvironment, and Survival in Appendiceal Cancer" Microorganisms 13, no. 7: 1644. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13071644

APA Style

Sherry, C., Dadgar, N., Park, H., Knotts, C., Grayhack, E., Blodgett, R., Xiao, K., Omstead, A. N., Donnenberg, A. D., Bartlett, D. L., Donnenberg, V., Goel, A., Zaidi, A. H., & Wagner, P. L. (2025). Fusobacterium nucleatum Is Associated with Tumor Characteristics, Immune Microenvironment, and Survival in Appendiceal Cancer. Microorganisms, 13(7), 1644. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13071644

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop