JANUARY 31, 2020

The Microbiome and Its Role in Colorectal Health

How emerging evidence on the ‘forgotten organ’ may affect clinical practice

For Heidi Nelson, MD, a colorectal surgeon at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., the clinical course of two different patients became two unsolved mysteries that weighed on her mind for years.

The first patient, a 54-year-old man with recurrent cecal polyps, came in annually for a colonoscopy and polypectomy. He had recurring polyps, even though he followed dietary guidelines. He asked Dr. Nelson, “How can I prevent these from coming back?”

She didn’t have an answer.

The second was