Gut microbiota shapes cancer immunotherapy responses

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Immunology
• Microbiome Research

Background:

• The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in host immunity and metabolism.
• Cancer immunotherapy, including immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and adoptive cell therapies (ACTs), has revolutionized cancer treatment.
• Emerging evidence links gut microbial composition to clinical outcomes in cancer patients receiving immunotherapy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the influence of the gut microbiota on cancer immunotherapy efficacy.
• To summarize preclinical and clinical findings on microbiota-based interventions.
• To discuss future directions for precision immunotherapy leveraging the microbiome.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search of preclinical and clinical studies.
• Analysis of mechanisms by which gut microbiota affects immunotherapy (immune modulation, TME remodeling, metabolite production).
• Evaluation of therapeutic strategies targeting the gut microbiota (FMT, probiotics, diet).

Main Results:

• Gut microbiota composition significantly correlates with patient responses to ICIs and ACTs.
• Microbiota-derived metabolites can enhance anti-tumor immunity and reduce treatment toxicity.
• Interventions like FMT and probiotics have shown promise in modulating the gut microbiome to improve immunotherapy outcomes and reduce immune-related adverse events (irAEs).

Conclusions:

• The gut microbiota is a critical determinant of cancer immunotherapy efficacy.
• Targeting the gut microbiome offers a promising avenue for enhancing current cancer treatments.
• Personalized, microbiota-based strategies hold potential for optimizing precision immunotherapy.