MIMICC Study in Patients With Colorectal Cancer

MIMICC is a multicenter prospective interventional academic study sponsored by Fondazione del Piemonte per l'Oncologia - IRCCS Istituto di Candiolo. Approximately 2,500 patients with histologically proven colon or rectal cancer will be enrolled. Biological samples will include stool and saliva collected at protocol-defined time points during the diagnostic and therapeutic pathway; at the sponsor center, FFPE tissue and blood/plasma samples may also be collected for additional molecular analyses. The study will investigate microbiome composition and miRNA expression profiles at diagnosis, after neoadjuvant treatment when applicable, at surgery, during postoperative follow-up, during systemic treatment, and at recurrence. Clinical, dietary, and lifestyle data will be integrated with molecular data to identify and refine biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment response, surgical complications, and recurrence risk. Initial sample collection will be performed for approximately 4 months at the sponsor center before extension to the collaborating centers.