Prebiotic Potential of Dietary Polyphenols in Colorectal Cancer Immunomodulation

Molecular crosstalk between the gut microbiome and human diet represent a potential therapeutic avenue requiring further investigation as it can be applied to human health management and treatment. Colon cancer, the third leading cause of cancer mortality, is often linked to the gut microbiome. In vitro and in vivo studies and metagenomic research have revealed alterations in gut microbial flora among diseased individuals. The human diet is connected to these changes in microbial inhabitants related to the pathophysiology underlying colorectal cancer (CRC). Polyphenols are well-studied, naturally occurring plant secondary metabolites recognized for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The anticancer activities of these compounds are increasingly reported, offering insights into the administration of these natural molecules for managing various types of cancer and developing novel medications from them. Recent investigations have highlighted the prebiotic-like effects of these compounds on gut microbial dysbiosis and their metabolism concerning colorectal cancer, influencing colon cancer by interfering with multiple signaling pathways. This review will focus on the existing literature regarding the prebiotic potential of dietary polyphenols, and further research in this area would be valuable, as the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can enable analysis of the connections between unique gut microbiome profiles and other dependent factors such as physiological and genetic variables, paving the way for personalized treatment strategies in gut microbiome-based health management and precision medicine.