Overview

• University of East Anglia researchers reanalyzed Genomics England whole‑genome data spanning 11,735 samples across 22 cancers from more than 9,000 patients.
• Only colorectal tumors carried a specific microbial community that could accurately distinguish them from other tumor types.
• The findings challenge earlier claims that every cancer type has its own microbial signature.
• Tumor sequencing also identified clinically relevant viruses, including HPV in oral cancers and rare HTLV‑1 infections that may otherwise go undetected.
• Bacterial signals in some sarcomas correlated with survival outcomes, highlighting prognostic potential that requires further validation as genomic testing expands in clinics.