Integrative metagenomic and metabolomic profiling identifies gut microbial and metabolite signatures associated with lymph node metastasis in pancreatic cancer

The gut microbiota and metabolites exhibit significant alterations during lymph node metastasis in pancreatic cancer, especially <i>Ruminococcus gnavus</i>, <i>Blautia wexlera</i>, and tryptophan metabolites (3-ILA and 3-IA). Gut microbial and metabolite signatures may serve as potential non-invasive biomarkers for predicting LNM in pancreatic cancer. Further functional validation is required to determine whether and how the gut microbiota and metabolites may mediate lymph node metastasis.