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Nutrients
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The Potential of Gut Microbiota in Cancer
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The Potential of Gut Microbiota in Cancer

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Prebiotics and Probiotics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 December 2024) | Viewed by 9203

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Stefano Realdon

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CRO Centro Riferimento Oncologico IRCCS Aviano Italy, Via Franco Gallini, 2, 33081 Aviano, PN, Italy
Interests: endoscopes; cancer; oncology; endoscopic surgery; cancer diagnostics; Barrett's esophagus; atrophic gastritis; colon polyposis; tumors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Beyond the well-established contribution of specific GI bacteria in local carcinogenesis (such as Heliobacter pylori in gastric cancer), it is now clear that the microorganisms within the GI tract can also influence states of health and disease (including cancer) at the systemic level.

A large number of studies have indicated that microbial dysbiosis contributes to cancer susceptibility via multiple pathways. Several studies have suggested that the microbiota and their associated metabolites are not only closely related to carcinogenesis by inducing inflammation and immune dysregulation, but also interfere with the pharmacodynamics of anticancer agents.

One of the most important advances in cancer treatment over the past decade involves the use of immunotherapy and the treatment with immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has markedly improved survival across numerous cancer types. However, the efficacy of ICB is limited by quite high rates of primary or acquired resistance to treatment. An emerging body of evidence has now implicated host-intrinsic microorganisms and their genes, particularly those microorganisms that reside within the GI tract, in influencing response to ICB. Indeed, the composition of the gut microbiome appears to both distinguish healthy individuals from patients with cancer and responders from nonresponders in several ICB-treated cancer cohorts. These findings have led to the development and implementation of new microbiome-based treatment strategies aimed at modulating patient gut microorganisms and their function to reduce the risk of cancer development in high risk patients and to enhance clinical response to ICB. Currently, several interventional strategies, such as fecal microbiome transplant (FMT), prebiotic, probiotic and antibiotic treatments and dietary interventions, have shown promising results as modulators of the gut microbiome.

Dr. Stefano Realdon
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • gut microbiota
  • cancer
  • immunotherapy
  • fecal microbiome transplant
  • prebiotic
  • probiotic
  • dietary interventions

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 2412 KiB  
Article
Gut Microbiota Is Not Significantly Altered by Radioiodine Therapy
by Pedro Barata, Ana Oliveira, Raquel Soares and Ana Fernandes
Nutrients 2025, 17(3), 395; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17030395 - 22 Jan 2025
Viewed by 838
Abstract
Purpose: Radiotherapy treatments are known to alter the gut microbiota. However, little is known regarding the effect of nuclear medicine treatments on gut microbiota, and it is established that nuclear medicine is inherently different from radiotherapy. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted [...] Read more.
Purpose: Radiotherapy treatments are known to alter the gut microbiota. However, little is known regarding the effect of nuclear medicine treatments on gut microbiota, and it is established that nuclear medicine is inherently different from radiotherapy. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a prospective study to identify changes in the gut microbiota of patients treated with [131I]NaI by comparing fecal samples before and after RAIT. Methods: Fecal samples of 64 patients (37 with thyroid cancer and 27 with hyperthyroidism) with indication for RAIT were collected 2 to 3 days before treatment and 8 to 10 days post-treatment. After DNA extraction, the gut microbiota’s richness, diversity, and composition were analyzed by shotgun metagenomics. In addition, LEfSe was performed to compare compositional changes in specific bacteria. Results: Gut microbiome richness and diversity remained unchanged after RAIT, with few changes in its composition identified, especially in patients with hyperthyroidism. Conclusions: This study provides a conceptual and analytical basis for increasing our understanding of the effects of radiopharmaceuticals on gut microbiota. Our preliminary results indicate that RAIT, contrary to radiotherapy, does not cause major disruptions to the human gut microbiota. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Potential of Gut Microbiota in Cancer)
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19 pages, 2542 KiB  
Article
Effect of a Novel Food Rich in Miraculin on the Intestinal Microbiome of Malnourished Patients with Cancer and Dysgeusia
by Julio Plaza-Diaz, Marco Brandimonte-Hernández, Bricia López-Plaza, Francisco Javier Ruiz-Ojeda, Ana Isabel Álvarez-Mercado, Lucía Arcos-Castellanos, Jaime Feliú-Batlle, Thomas Hummel, Samara Palma-Milla and Angel Gil
Nutrients 2025, 17(2), 246; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17020246 - 10 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1835
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Dysgeusia contributes to malnutrition and worsens the quality of life of patients with cancer. Despite the different strategies, there is no effective treatment for patients suffering from taste disorders provided by the pharmaceutical industry. Therefore, we developed a novel strategy for reducing [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Dysgeusia contributes to malnutrition and worsens the quality of life of patients with cancer. Despite the different strategies, there is no effective treatment for patients suffering from taste disorders provided by the pharmaceutical industry. Therefore, we developed a novel strategy for reducing side effects in cancer patients by providing a novel food supplement with the taste-modifying glycoprotein miraculin, which is approved by the European Union, as an adjuvant to medical–nutritional therapy. Methods: A pilot randomized, parallel, triple-blind, and placebo-controlled intervention clinical trial was carried out in which 31 malnourished patients with cancer and dysgeusia receiving antineoplastic treatment were randomized into three arms—standard dose of dried miracle berries (DMBs) (150 mg DMB/tablet), high dose of DMBs (300 mg DMB/tablet), or placebo (300 mg freeze-dried strawberry)—for three months. Patients consumed a DMB or placebo tablet before each main meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). Using stool samples from patients with cancer, we analyzed the intestinal microbiome via nanopore methodology. Results: We detected differences in the relative abundances of genera Phocaeicola and Escherichia depending on the treatment. Nevertheless, only the Solibaculum genus was more abundant in the standard-dose DMB group after 3 months. At the species level, Bacteroides sp. PHL 2737 presented a relatively low abundance in both DMB groups, whereas Vescimonas coprocola presented a relatively high abundance in both treatment groups after 3 months. Furthermore, a standard dose of DMB was positively associated with TNF-α levels and Lachnoclostridium and Mediterraneibacter abundances, and a high dose of DMB was negatively associated with TNF-α levels and the relative abundance of Phocaeicola. Following the administration of a high dose of DMB, a positive correlation was observed between erythrocyte polyunsaturated fatty acids and the presence of Lachnoclostridium and Roseburia. Additionally, a positive association was identified between Phocaeicola and the acetic acid concentration of feces. There was a negative association between the relative abundance of Phocaeicola and taste perception in the high-dose DMB group. Conclusions: The combination of DMB intake with nutritional treatment and individualized dietary guidance results in positive changes in the intestinal microbiome of patients with cancer and dysgeusia. Changes observed in the intestinal microbiome might contribute to maintaining an appropriate immune response in cancer patients. As the current pilot study included a limited number of participants, further clinical trials on a larger group of patients are needed to draw robust findings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Potential of Gut Microbiota in Cancer)
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18 pages, 11501 KiB  
Article
Predictive Value of a Gastric Microbiota Dysbiosis Test for Stratifying Cancer Risk in Atrophic Gastritis Patients
by Alice Zaramella, Diletta Arcidiacono, Miriam Duci, Clara Benna, Salvatore Pucciarelli, Alberto Fantin, Antonio Rosato, Valli De Re, Renato Cannizzaro, Matteo Fassan and Stefano Realdon
Nutrients 2025, 17(1), 142; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17010142 - 31 Dec 2024
Viewed by 932
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Gastric cancer (GC) incidence remains high worldwide, and the survival rate is poor. GC develops from atrophic gastritis (AG), associated with Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection, passing through intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia steps. Since Hp eradication does not exclude GC development, [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Gastric cancer (GC) incidence remains high worldwide, and the survival rate is poor. GC develops from atrophic gastritis (AG), associated with Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection, passing through intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia steps. Since Hp eradication does not exclude GC development, further investigations are needed. New data suggest the possible role of unexplored gastric microbiota beyond Hp in the progression from AG to GC. Aimed to develop a score that could be used in clinical practice to stratify GC progression risk, here was investigate gastric microbiota in AG Hp-negative patients with or without high-grade dysplasia (HGD) or GC. Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing upper endoscopy within an endoscopic follow-up for AG were considered. The antrum and corpus biopsies were used to assess the microbiota composition along the disease progression by sequencing the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. Statistical differences between HGD/GC and AG patients were included in a multivariate analysis. Results: HGD/GC patients had a higher percentage of Bacillus in the antrum and a low abundance of Rhizobiales, Weeksellaceae and Veillonella in the corpus. These data were used to calculate a multiparametric score (Resident Gastric Microbiota Dysbiosis Test, RGM-DT) to predict the risk of progression toward HGD/GC. The performance of RGM-DT in discriminating patients with HGD/GC showed a specificity of 88.9%. Conclusions: The microbiome-based risk prediction model for GC could clarify the role of gastric microbiota as a cancer risk biomarker to be used in clinical practice. The proposed test might be used to personalize follow-up program thanks to a better cancer risk stratification. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Potential of Gut Microbiota in Cancer)
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Review

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22 pages, 1537 KiB  
Review
Cancer and the Microbiome of the Human Body
by Lourdes Herrera-Quintana, Héctor Vázquez-Lorente, Maria Lopez-Garzon, Adrián Cortés-Martín and Julio Plaza-Diaz
Nutrients 2024, 16(16), 2790; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16162790 - 21 Aug 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5104
Abstract
Cancer remains a public health concern worldwide, with its incidence increasing worldwide and expected to continue growing during the next decades. The microbiome has emerged as a central factor in human health and disease, demonstrating an intricate relationship between the microbiome and cancer. [...] Read more.
Cancer remains a public health concern worldwide, with its incidence increasing worldwide and expected to continue growing during the next decades. The microbiome has emerged as a central factor in human health and disease, demonstrating an intricate relationship between the microbiome and cancer. Although some microbiomes present within local tissues have been shown to restrict cancer development, mainly by interacting with cancer cells or the host immune system, some microorganisms are harmful to human health and risk factors for cancer development. This review summarizes the recent evidence concerning the microbiome and some of the most common cancer types (i.e., lung, head and neck, breast, gastric, colorectal, prostate, and cervix cancers), providing a general overview of future clinical approaches and perspectives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Potential of Gut Microbiota in Cancer)
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