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Cited by 215Gut microbiota and healthCancer Immunotherapy and BiomarkersCancer Research and Treatments

The cancer microbiome

Open access
Elinav, Eran, Garrett, Wendy S., Trinchieri, Giorgio, Wargo, Jennifer·2019·Nature Reviews Cancer
DOI 10.1038/s41568-019-0155-3PMC PMC6700740
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Abstract

Collectively known as the microbiota, the commensal bacteria and other microorganisms that colonize the epithelial surfaces of our body have been shown to produce small molecules and metabolites that have both local and systemic effects on cancer onset, progression and therapy response. To date, most studies focusing on the microbiome have used traditional preclinical mouse models and identified correlative relationships between microbial species and cancer phenotypes. Now, the profound influence of the microbiota on the efficacy of cancer treatments, such as immunotherapies, has begun to be extensively characterized in humans. Paramount to the development of microbiota-based therapeutics, the next challenge in microbiome research will be to identify individual microbial species that causally affect cancer phenotypes and unravel the underlying mechanisms. In this Viewpoint article, we asked four scientists working on the cancer microbiome for their opinions on the current state of the field, where the research is heading and how we can advance our understanding to rationally design microbial-based therapeutics to transform treatment strategies for patients with cancer.

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  • The microbial microenvironment is primarily comprised of intestinal and intra-tumoral microorganisms and their metabolites, which can facilitate or inhibit tumor progression and impact the effectiveness and toxicity of cancer treatments.

    “The microbial microenvironment is primarily comprised of intestinal and intra-tumoral microorganisms and their metabolites, which possess the ability to either facilitate or inhibit tumor progression and impact the effectiveness and toxicity of cancer treatments.329–332”

    From Drug repurposing for cancer therapy (2024) · cites this paper as [330]

    The Abstract (page unavailable) says that microorganisms and their metabolites affect cancer progression and treatment response, and discusses both gut and tumour microbiota. It does not establish that the microbial microenvironment is primarily made up of organisms at those two sites; it also points to microbiota elsewhere. The passages reviewed do not clearly establish an effect on the toxicity of cancer treatments. (LLM, conf=0.82)

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References 42 · Cited by 215

Research works printed but not linked: 31

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Authors
Elinav, E., Garrett, W. S., Trinchieri, G., & Wargo, J.
Affiliations
  • German Cancer Research Center (DE)
  • Broad Institute (US)
  • National Institutes of Health (US)
  • The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (US)
Corresponding author
  • Elinav, Eran
  • Garrett, Wendy S.
  • Trinchieri, Giorgio
  • Wargo, Jennifer
ORCID
Venue
Nature Reviews Cancer
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2019-06-11
Volume
19
Issue
7
Pages
371-376
ISSN
  • 1474-175X (ISSN-L)
  • 1474-1768
DOI
10.1038/s41568-019-0155-3
PMC
PMC6700740
OpenAlex
W2949737921
Cited by
215
References
42
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 27 · 2023: 36 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 43 · 2020: 33 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 2
FWCI
2.52
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Nature reviews. Cancer (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute
  • American Association for Cancer Research
  • Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
  • Melanoma Research Alliance
  • Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum
  • Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy
  • Cancer Research UK (27140)
  • Weizmann Institute of Science
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Cancer Institute (R01CA219896, R01CA154426, P30CA016672, ZIABC011153)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biotechnology › Cancer Research and Treatments
Keywords
tumor microbiome, gut microbiota, host-microbiome interactions, microbial metabolites, cancer immunotherapy response, microbiota-based therapy, inflammation and carcinogenesis, tumor progression, personalized medicine, cancer-associated microbiome
MeSH terms
Humans, Neoplasms, Microbiota

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