Guidelines for gut microbiota technology of the chinese anti-cancer association (2025 Edition)

Abstract

The gut microbiota (GM) has emerged as a key regulator of cancer development, therapeutic efficacy, and treatment-related toxicity. Despite rapid advances in sequencing technologies, the clinical application of GM analysis in oncology lacks standardized technical and interpretative frameworks. To address this need, the Tumor and Microecology Professional Committee of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association developed the Guidelines for Gut Microbiota Technology (2025 Edition). These guidelines provide standardized recommendations for GM detection technologies, including 16S rRNA gene sequencing, metagenomic sequencing, and nanopore-based approaches, covering specimen handling, laboratory procedures, bioinformatics analysis, quality control, and result interpretation. The guidelines also summarize the clinical relevance of GM assessment in cancer patients, particularly in the context of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and propose practical considerations for integrating GM testing into oncology practice. These recommendations aim to facilitate the standardized and integrative use of GM technologies in cancer care.