AUTHOR=Cazzaniga Massimiliano , Zonzini Giordano Bruno , Di Pierro Francesco , Palazzi Chiara Maria , Cardinali Marco , Bertuccioli Alexander TITLE=Influence of the microbiota on the effectiveness and toxicity of oncological therapies, with a focus on chemotherapy JOURNAL=Pathology and Oncology Research VOLUME=29 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.por-journal.com/journals/pathology-and-oncology-research/articles/10.3389/pore.2023.1611300 DOI=10.3389/pore.2023.1611300 ISSN=1532-2807 ABSTRACT=

Recent studies have highlighted a possible correlation between microbiota composition and the pathogenesis of various oncological diseases. Also, many bacterial groups are now directly or indirectly associated with the capability of stimulating or inhibiting carcinogenic pathways. However, little is known about the importance and impact of microbiota patterns related to the efficacy and toxicity of cancer treatments. We have recently begun to understand how oncological therapies and the microbiota are closely interconnected and could influence each other. Chemotherapy effectiveness, for example, appears to be strongly influenced by the presence of some microorganisms capable of modulating the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the compounds used, thus varying the real response and therefore the efficacy of the oncological treatment. Similarly, chemotherapeutic agents can modulate the microbiota with variations that could facilitate or avoid the onset of important side effects. This finding has or could have considerable relevance as it is possible that our ability to modulate and modify the microbial structure before, during, and after treatment could influence all the clinical parameters related to pharmacological treatments and, eventually, the prognosis of the disease.