Significant Changes in the Intestinal Environment After Surgery in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

Background There have been very few detailed reports of the intestinal environment after surgical treatment for colorectal cancer (CRC). We analysed faecal microbiota, organic acids and pH to investigate the influence of colorectal surgery on the intestinal environment. Methods Faecal samples from 81 CRC patients were collected before the start of pre-operative preparation the day before surgery, as well as 7 days or more after surgery. Thirteen groups of intestinal microbiota, eight types of organic acids, and pH were measured using 16S rRNA-targeted reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, high-performance liquid chromatography and a pH meter, respectively. Results Total bacterial counts (10.3 ± 0.6 vs. 9.4 ± 1.2 log 10 cells/g; p