Scientists at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and  Massachusetts General Hospital have almost no doubts about it: our gut microbiota is closely linked to increased risks of getting colon cancer. In particular, there is a link between a specific pathogenic bacterium,  Fusobacterium nucleatum , and a greater risk of contracting colon cancer. In fact, this bacterium seems to be the cause of numerous pathologies, because it manages to weaken our immune system. We already know that our bacterial flora communicates with our immune system, for example contributing to overweight as an “immune response” to certain diseases (for example, dietary insulin resistance).
What can be done?

What the researchers recommend, after analyzing the intestinal microbiota of over one hundred thousand people over the course of tens of years , is to adopt preventive measures that act on two fronts: on the one hand, they increase the good bacteria in our intestinal flora, and on the other hand, thanks to a greater presence of these good bacteria, they indirectly reduce the action of Fusobacterium. A prudent diet, which in the case of colon cancer prevention (not the cure, mind you) translates into a greater intake of fiber from fruit and vegetables but also from untreated cereals . This prudent diet must be followed in the long term because it has benefits on the proliferation of good bacteria and the reduction of bad and pathogenic ones (source ).