# The Role of the Oral Microbiome in Modulating Therapeutic Outcomes in Lung Cancer: Key Commensals and Clinical Implications

## TL;DR

This review explores how the oral microbiome influences lung cancer treatment outcomes and highlights the need for further research on microbiome-targeting interventions.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive review of the oral microbiome's role in lung cancer therapy and its modulation as a potential treatment strategy.

## Key findings

- Oral microbiome dysbiosis is linked to lung cancer development and treatment outcomes.
- Interventions targeting the oral microbiome show promise in improving lung cancer treatment efficacy.
- More large-scale studies are needed to validate these interventions and maximize their effectiveness.

## Abstract

Due to a variety of underlying factors, the oral microbiome is a sometimes disregarded yet unquestionably significant factor that can change the course and overall outcome of lung cancer therapy. In recent years, dysbiosis in the oral microbiome has been correlated not only with the occurrence of lung cancer but also with its treatment outcome. Accordingly, several intervention strategies, such as probiotics, antimicrobial peptides, and oral hygiene care, have been developed to combat oral dysbiosis in lung cancer conditions with varying levels of success; more research is necessary to validate these strategies as a supplement to the available lung cancer treatments and maximize their effectiveness.

Lung cancer remains one of the deadliest forms of cancer worldwide; thus, there is an urgent need to continually devise new strategies to effectively treat this condition. In this review, we will discuss one of the previously less studied but important aspects of the oral microbiome in both accelerating the development of lung cancer and modulating the efficacy of its treatment modalities. Herein, following an exhaustive search of available databases, we summarize the current knowledge on the association between oral microbiota and lung cancer, focusing on its impact on the efficacy and complications of widely used lung cancer treatments, including surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. We also discuss the evidence supporting the use of oral microbiome-targeting interventions in improving outcomes in lung cancer, both preclinically and clinically, and conclude that the full potential of modulating oral dysbiosis in lung cancer has yet to be realized, requiring broader and larger-scale studies in the future. We hope that this review will highlight the importance of an often-forgotten aspect of lung cancer treatment optimization.