Significant Presence of Clostridioides difficile in Colorectal Cancer Patients by TaqMan Real-Time PCR

Background and Aim: Clostridioides difficile is the primary cause of colitis, antibiotic-associated diarrhea, toxic megacolon, and pseudomembranous colitis. This study aimed to analyze the potential contribution of Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) to the colorectal cancer (CRC) by comparing its presence in the CRC patients and healthy individuals. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on 25 CRC patients referring to the Colorectal Department of a major Hospital in Tehran from June 2022 to May 2023. The CRC patients confirmed by colonoscopy and pathological examination underwent a cancer staging process according to the TNM staging system provided by the American Joint Committee on Cancer. Also, 25 healthy individuals serving as the control group were included. DNA was extracted from 500 mg of stool sample of each patient and healthy volunteer. TaqMan real-time PCR was performed on DNA samples to detect C. difficile DNA using specific primers and probe targeting the 16s rRNA gene. The mean of triplicate reactions were considered as the final Ct values. Results: All patients were in stage III, and tumor location was recorded in the colon for all patients. In the CRC group, 20 individuals exhibited the presence of C. difficile, while in the control group, only 5 out of 25 people were positive for this bacterium, and this difference was statistically significant (P 0.001). Conclusion: This study demonstrated a higher incidence of C. difficile in the CRC patients compared to the healthy individuals, suggesting that the presence of C. difficile may play a significant role in the progression of CRC. The early identification and management of CDI are crucial and challenging aspects of the CRC patients care.