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Microbiome Magic: Fighting Cancer from Within
5 Jun
Summary
- Gut bacteria's role in cancer treatment is a new frontier.
- Probiotics are being tested to amplify cancer treatment effectiveness.
- Diet, especially fiber, significantly impacts treatment response.
The microbiome, particularly the gut bacteria, is emerging as a critical frontier in cancer prevention and treatment. Early research in the 1990s revealed that aggressive medical treatments often caused collateral damage to beneficial gut microbes, negatively impacting patient outcomes.
Recent symposia have dubbed the microbiome 'the next frontier of cancer prevention and care.' This burgeoning field is now the focus of nearly 100 studies testing ways to manipulate the gut microbiome to aid cancer treatment, especially immunotherapy.
A late-phase trial is underway to test probiotics, specifically the bacteria Clostridium butyricum (CBM588), to enhance cancer treatment. This multicenter study aims to enroll nearly 700 participants with advanced renal cell carcinoma, hoping to 'change the standard of care.'
Researchers have also observed that diet plays a significant role. A high-fiber diet has been linked to better responses to cancer treatment, with every 5-gram increase in fiber intake reducing the risk of progression or death by 30% in melanoma patients.
Fecal microbiota transplants are another area of intense study, with trials exploring their use to restore gut balance and improve responses to immunotherapy. Some studies have shown doubled response rates in lung cancer and melanoma when combining immunotherapy with fecal transplants from healthy donors.
