Enrichment analysis revealed genes related to “cell cycle—Caulobacter” and “metabolic pathways” were suppressed in post-op CRC patients when compared to their pre-op state (ɑ = 0.001) (Fig. 5C and Supplementary Fig. 2) as demonstrated with a 4 Log2 fold reduced expression of K13581 ccrM; modification methylase, K01771 plc; 1-phosphatidylinositol phosphodiesterase, K05304 NANS, SAS; sialic acid synthase and K16649 glft1 (Fig. 4C). Here, NANS is linked to colorectal carcinoma.