In an article recently published in The Translational Scientist, Taconic's Dr. Alexander Maue and Dr. Ivan Gladwyn-Ng review the role of the microbiome and development and treatment of cancer. While most early studies involving the microbiome focused on diseases relating to the gastrointestinal tract, researchers are beginning to study how microbiome composition impacts tumor development and whether a given therapeutic is effective. Specifically, the microbiome has been shown to affect patient response to immune checkpoint inhibitor treatments for various cancers:
"As our understanding of the microbiome's impact on human health continues to grow, its relationship within the context of varied disease pathophysiologies and treatment response is becoming clearer. Though early studies of the microbiome have primarily focused on diseases of the gut, such as inflammatory bowel disease, attention is increasingly being placed on understanding potential links between the microbiome and a wider range of disease states, including cancer."
Read* more into the specifics at: The Translational Scientist
"As our understanding of the microbiome's impact on human health continues to grow, its relationship within the context of varied disease pathophysiologies and treatment response is becoming clearer. Though early studies of the microbiome have primarily focused on diseases of the gut, such as inflammatory bowel disease, attention is increasingly being placed on understanding potential links between the microbiome and a wider range of disease states, including cancer."