Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42723112›Full record

Observational studyMicrobiome2026

Integrated landscape of salivary metagenome and multi-biofluid metabolome characterizes a microbial-metabolic axis in upper gastrointestinal cancer progression.

Shuai Zhang, Nan Zhang, Xiaofeng Zhang, Yanxiu Liu, Yukun Feng, Junling Xiang, Jun Zhang, Hengmin Ma, Youhua Lu, Tao Zhang

Abstract readMulticenter StudyObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Microbiome, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Shuai Zhang *School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China.
Nan Zhang *School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China.
Xiaofeng ZhangSchool of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China.
Yanxiu LiuShandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, 250117, China.
Yukun FengShandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, 250117, China.
Junling XiangSchool of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China.
Jun ZhangSchool of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China.
Hengmin MaShandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, 250117, China.
Youhua LuShandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, 250117, China. luyouhua@126.com.
Tao ZhangSchool of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China. taozhang@tmu.edu.cn.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundUpper gastrointestinal cancer (UGIC) imposes a major global health burden, yet the stage-specific molecular changes along the microbial-metabolic axis remain limited understood. We aimed to delineate this molecular landscape across UGIC progression and evaluate its potential as non-invasive methods for precision screening.

resultsDerived from a multi-center population-based UGIC screening program, we enrolled 420 individuals, stratified into normal, low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (LGIN), high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (HGIN), and UGIC (n = 105 per group). Integrated salivary metagenomics and paired salivary/plasma metabolomics were performed to capture local and systemic dysregulation. We uncovered distinct stage-specific divergence during UGIC progression: profound remodeling of the salivary microbiota (104 differential species) and salivary metabolomics (80 differential metabolites) initiated early at the LGIN stage, whereas plasma metabolic dysregulation (40 differential metabolites) peaked significantly later at the HGIN stage. Integrative analysis revealed salivary microbiota related more closely with salivary metabolome than plasma metabolome. Moreover, statistical evidence suggested that dysbiotic salivary microbiota was associated with altered lysine- and tryptophan-related catabolic pathways converging on Acetyl-CoA-related metabolic nodes, supporting a potential metabolic mechanism in precancerous lesions. Finally, the discriminative model integrating metagenomic and metabolomic markers demonstrated promising diagnostic performance in distinguishing these precancerous lesions (LGIN: area under the curve [AUC] = 0.83; HGIN: AUC = 0.77) and UGIC (AUC = 0.76) from normal.

conclusionThis study characterizes a stage-specific microbial-metabolic axis that facilitates the comprehensive understanding of UGIC pathogenesis. These multi-biofluid signatures offer a promising non-invasive triage strategy for detecting precancerous lesions and optimizing endoscopic resource allocation. Video Abstract.

Indexed as

Gastrointestinal NeoplasmsMetabolomeMetagenomeSalivaDisease ProgressionDysbiosisFemaleHumansLysineMaleMetabolomicsMetagenomicsMicrobiotaMiddle AgedMultiomicsLysineMetabolomicsMicrobial-metabolic axisSalivary metagenomicsStage-specific progressionUpper gastrointestinal cancer

Identifiers

PMID42723112
PMCPMC13560389

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.