Influence of gastrectomy for gastric cancer treatment on faecal microbiome and metabolome profiles

Objective Recent evidence points to the gut microbiome’s involvement in postoperative outcomes, including after gastrectomy. Here, we investigated the influence of gastrectomy for gastric cancer on the gut microbiome and metabolome, and how it related to postgastrectomy conditions. Design We performed shotgun metagenomics sequencing and capillary electrophoresis time-of-flight mass spectrometry-based metabolomics analyses on faecal samples collected from participants with a history of gastrectomy for gastric cancer (n=50) and compared them with control participants (n=56). Results The gut microbiota in the gastrectomy group showed higher species diversity and richness (p 2.0), as were also Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes modules involved in nutrient transport and organic compounds biosynthesis (LEfSe: p 2.0). Conclusion Our results reveal alterations of gut microbiota after gastrectomy, suggesting its association with postoperative comorbidities. The multi-omic approach applied in this study could complement the follow-up of patients after gastrectomy.