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Updated: Oct 24, 2025
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Characterization and Functional Prediction of Bacteria in Ovarian Tissues
Published on: October 23, 2021
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Microbiota and cancer: current understanding and mechanistic implications
A A Khan1, A T Sirsat2, H Singh3
1Division of Microbiology, Indian Council of Medical Research-National AIDS Research Institute, Pune, Maharashtra, India. abdularifkhan@gmail.com.
Summary
The human microbiota plays a key role in health and disease, influencing cancer development and response to therapy. Future research should focus on microbial communities, not just individual microbes, for effective cancer treatments.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Oncology
- Immunology
Background:
- The human microbiota, a collection of microorganisms, is increasingly recognized as crucial for maintaining physiological balance.
- Recent research highlights the significant role of microbiota in carcinogenesis, impacting oncogenesis, cancer progression, and treatment efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current understanding of microbiota's contribution to oncogenesis.
- To explore the mechanistic implications of microbial involvement in cancer development and anticancer therapy.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent findings on microbiota and cancer.
- Analysis of mechanistic pathways linking microbes to oncogenesis.
- Discussion of microbial roles in anticancer treatment response.
Main Results:
- Microbiota influences not only cancer initiation but also its progression, susceptibility, coinfections, and response to therapy.
- Mechanisms of microbiota-mediated regulation of oncogenesis are diverse and complex.
- Microbes are being explored for the development of novel anticancer therapeutics.
Conclusions:
- Understanding microbiota's role as a community is essential for deciphering its impact on cancer.
- Further research into microbial community dynamics can pave the way for advanced microbe-based cancer therapies.
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