Gut microbiome may alter response to cancer treatment

Since ancient times, our gut microbiome is home to a vast array of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microbes that have been thought to influence many aspects of human health

"We know that a healthy gut is key to our overall health," said lead author Khalid Shah, MS and PhD, of the Brigham Neurosurgery Center for Stem Cells and Translational Immunotherapy

Shah and colleagues report a new role for gut microbes in immunotherapy

"Today, developing treatments that synchronize immunotherapy and gut microbiota offers medicine a unique opportunity to truly transform patient care," Shah said

The authors also provide an overview of how the microbiome is implicated in response to chemotherapy and other conventional cancer treatments, and how cancer treatments may interact with each other and cause side effects

"Overall, these findings support the possibility of reducing the side effects of conventional cancer treatments by affecting the gut microbiome," Shah said

The authors note that little is known about what the "ideal" bacterial population in the gut looks like and how the findings in preclinical models translate to human applications

"There is strong evidence that the gut microbiome has a positive impact on cancer treatment," Shah said.