Are we there yet? Gut microbiota for cancer diagnosis, prognosis and treatment

Cancer remains as one of the leading causes of death worldwide, emphasizing the need for innovative diagnostic and therapeutic tools. The gut microbiota has emerged as a factor that influences cancer progression, prognosis, and treatment outcomes. This review analyzes observational and interventional studies conducted with human subjects over the past 5 years, highlighting significant advancements in gut microbiota research for cancer management. Observational studies consistently demonstrated differences in gut microbial composition between cancer patients and healthy controls. Moreover, microbial diversity, particularly at the species and strain level, correlated significantly with clinical outcomes. Interventional studies showed the potential of probiotics and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) as adjuncts in cancer therapy by restoring microbial diversity, reducing inflammation, and alleviating chemotherapy-induced complications. Collectively, these findings suggest the gut microbiota's potential as a tool for cancer care. Future research should focus on standardizing taxonomic-level analyses, optimizing probiotic formulations, and validating FMT/AFMT clinical protocols to fully harness the gut microbiota's diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities in oncology.