Abstract
Objectives: The microbiome plays an important role in cancer, but the relationship between dietary habits and the microbiota in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is not clear. The aim of this study is to explore the complex relationship between the microbiota in oesophagal tissue and dietary habits in ESCC patients. Methods: 173 ESCC patients were included. The method of 16S rRNA sequencing was used to analyze microbial composition and diversity. The LEfSe and Boruta methods were used to screen important microbes, and the LightGBM algorithm distinguished microbes associated with different dietary habits. PICRUST2 and DESeq2 predicted microbial function and screened differential functions. The Pearson test was used to analyze correlations between microbes and functions, and SPARCC microbial symbiotic networks and Cytoscape were used to determine microbial interactions. Results: Significant differences in microbial composition were observed among ESCC patients with different dietary habits. LEfSe and Boruta identified three, six, and two significantly different bacteria in the FF/FP, FF/PF, and FF/PP groups, respectively, with AUC values of 0.683, 0.830, and 0.715. PICRUST2 and DESeq2 analysis revealed 3, 11, and 5 significantly different metabolic pathways in each group. Eubacterium_B sulci was positively correlated with PWY-6285, PWY-3801, and PWY-5823. PWY-6397 was positively correlated with undefinded (Fusobacterium_C). Microbial network analysis confirmed unique microbial characteristics in different diet groups. Conclusions: Different dietary habits lead to alterations in Eubacterium_B sulci and undefinded (Fusobacterium_C) and related functional pathways.