Gut Microbiota in Lung Cancer: Where Do We Stand?

Area of Science:

• Microbiome research
• Oncology
• Immunology

Background:

• The gut microbiota (GM) significantly impacts human metabolism, nutrition, and immunity.
• The lung microbiota is less understood, but a gut-lung axis (GLA) links the gut and lung microbiomes.
• Microbial mechanisms influencing tumorigenesis are increasingly recognized.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the complex relationship between the human microbiome and lung cancer.
• To investigate the role of the gut-lung axis (GLA) in lung cancer pathogenesis and treatment.
• To understand how gut microbiota impacts lung cancer therapies.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on gut microbiota, lung microbiota, and lung cancer.
• Analysis of proposed mechanisms for microbial influence on tumorigenesis.
• Examination of studies investigating gut microbiota's effect on immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy and chemotherapy.

Main Results:

• The gut microbiota influences immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy by modulating T cell differentiation and immunomodulation.
• Gut microbiota may enhance the efficacy of lung cancer chemotherapy.
• The gut-lung axis (GLA) plays a role in lung cancer development and progression.

Conclusions:

• The gut microbiota significantly impacts lung cancer development and treatment efficacy.
• Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms of the gut-lung axis (GLA) in lung cancer.
• Targeting the gut microbiota holds potential for novel lung cancer diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.