Gut microbiota and its therapeutic implications in tumor microenvironment interactions

TL;DR

This review explores how gut microbiota interacts with the tumor microenvironment and its potential for improving cancer treatments.

Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive summary of gut microbiota's role in cancer and its therapeutic implications.

Findings

Gut microbiota influences tumor initiation, progression, and treatment response through interactions with the TME.

Fecal microbiota transplantation and dietary adjustments show potential as microbiota-based cancer therapies.

Understanding gut microbiota-TME interactions can advance personalized cancer treatment strategies.

Abstract

The development of cancer is not just the growth and proliferation of a single transformed cell, but its tumor microenvironment (TME) also coevolves with it, which is primarily involved in tumor initiation, development, metastasis, and therapeutic responses. Recent years, TME has been emerged as a potential target for cancer diagnosis and treatment. However, the clinical efficacy of treatments targeting the TME, especially its specific components, remains insufficient. In parallel, the gut microbiome is an essential TME component that is crucial in cancer immunotherapy. Thus, assessing and constructing frameworks between the gut microbiota and the TME can significantly enhance the exploration of effective treatment strategies for various tumors. In this review the role of the gut microbiota in human cancers, including its function and relationship with various tumors was summarized. In addition, the interaction between the gut microbiota and the TME as well as its potential applications in cancer therapeutics was described. Furthermore, it was summarized that fecal microbiota transplantation, dietary adjustments, and synthetic biology to introduce gut microbiota-based medical technologies for cancer treatment. This review provides a comprehensive summary for uncovering the mechanism underlying the effects of the gut microbiota on the TME and lays a foundation for the development of personalized medicine in further studies.

Figures