Probiotics and the immune landscape: An ally in breast cancer combination therapy

Breast cancer is the second cause of death among women in the world. Breast cancer deaths are anticipated to increase to 3.2 million by 2050. Although treatment methods such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, targeted therapies, and immunotherapy have advanced, survivors still face long-term problems. Probiotics are increasingly recognized as a promising therapeutic modality in cancer management, primarily through their capacity to modulate the gut microbiota and enhance host immune responses, in addition to their direct antitumor effects. Some probiotic strains also block cancer cell growth by promoting cancer cell apoptosis and reducing cell proliferation. Moreover, probiotics can also boost the effect of medications such as immune checkpoint inhibitors by boosting patients' immune systems against cancer cells. The objective of this review is to investigate the influence of probiotics on the immune system, their direct effects on cancer cells, and their potential in the treatment of breast cancer therapies.