Publication Name	World Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology
Manuscript ID	126454
DOI	10.4251/wjgo.126454
Country	China

Category	Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Manuscript Type	Review
Article Title	Gut microbiota-cGAS-STING axis in microsatellite stable colorectal cancer: From immune sensing to therapeutic opportunities
Manuscript Source	Invited Manuscript
All Author List	Hao-Ming Xu, Hong-Xiang Kong, Yong Lin, Yong-Jian Zhou, Wen-Long Liang and Hong-Li Huang
Funding Agency and Grant Number	Funding Agency Grant Number National Natural Science Foundation of China 82601040 Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation 2024A1515220138 Guangdong Medical Science and Technology Research Fund A2025164 Guangdong Weiji Medical Development Foundation Specialized Research Fund for Gastroenterology K-202505-2-1, K-202401210 Guangdong Yiyang Healthcare Charity Foundation JZ2026019 Innovative Clinical Technique of Guangzhou 2026C-GX003 Guangzhou Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Major Difficult (Rare) Diseases 2026ZLZX-19 Science and Technology Projects in Guangzhou 2025A03J4148, 2024A03J0963 Clinical Research Hongmian Project of Guangzhou First People’s Hospital HM2025047
Corresponding Author	Hong-Li Huang, Chief Physician, Deputy Director, MD, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Guangzhou First People’s Hospital, South China University of Technology, No. 1 Panfu Road, Guangzhou 510180, Guangdong Province, China. honglisums@126.com
Key Words	Microsatellite stable colorectal cancer; Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase; Stimulator of interferon genes; Gut microbiota; Immunotherapy
Core Tip	This review positions the gut microbiota-cGAS-STING axis as a context-dependent regulator and potential therapeutic vulnerability in microsatellite stable colorectal cancer. Beneficial microbes and metabolites may restore STING-dependent innate sensing, increase CD8+ T-cell infiltration, and improve responsiveness to immune checkpoint inhibitors, whereas pathogenic bacteria can suppress STING and sustain tumor-promoting inflammation. Direct evidence for microbiota-mediated regulation of cGAS-STING in human microsatellite stable colorectal cancer remains limited, with many proposed mechanisms supported mainly by preclinical models or studies in other tumor types. Therapeutic strategies should thus move beyond indiscriminate STING activation toward biomarker-guided modulation that accounts for the timing, intensity, and cellular context of pathway activation.
Citation	Xu HM, Kong HX, Lin Y, Zhou YJ, Liang WL, Huang HL. Gut microbiota-cGAS-STING axis in microsatellite stable colorectal cancer: From immune sensing to therapeutic opportunities. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2026; In press DOI: https://doi.org/10.4251/wjgo.126454
PDF	126454-in-press.pdf

Received	2026-08-10 01:51
Peer-Review Started	2026-08-10 01:52
First Decision by Editorial Office Director
Return for Revision	2026-08-25 16:21
Revised	2026-09-04 17:23
Publication Fee Transferred
Second Decision by Editor	2026-11-05 03:30
Second Decision by Editor-in-Chief
Final Decision by Editorial Office Director	2026-11-05 08:44
Articles in Press	2026-11-05 08:44
Edit the Manuscript by Language Editor
Typeset the Manuscript

ISSN	1948-5204 (online)
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