Lo CH, Blot WJ, Teras LR, Visvanathan K, Le Marchand L, Haiman CA, Chen Y, Sesso HD, Wassertheil-Smoller S, Tinker LF, Peek RM, Potter JD, Cover TL, Zeleniuch-Jacquotte A, Berndt SI, Waterboer T, Epplein M, Butt J, Song M

BACKGROUND: The association between prediagnostic antibody responses to Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) and subsequent risk of colorectal cancer is not established.

METHODS: We conducted a nested case-control study of 8,126 participants in a consortium of 10 prospective cohorts in the United States.

RESULTS: Higher seroprevalence of any F. nucleatum antibody was observed among non-White participants (51.1%) compared with White participants (31.2%). We did not find any statistically significant association between seropositivity to any of the eight F. nucleatum proteins and colorectal cancer risk.

CONCLUSIONS: Prediagnostic antibody responses to F. nucleatum proteins were not associated with the risk of colorectal cancer.

IMPACT: Future studies may consider a more specific detection of the immunoglobulin isotypes or focus on examining F. nucleatum in stool or tissue samples.