Potential role of microbiota in oncology and palliative care

Abstract

Gut microbiota and intratumoral microbiota emerge as an important and, until now, completely ignored factor in treating cancer and cancer pain. Changes in gut microbiota can explain symptoms like the onset of cancer cachexia, inflammation, neuropathic pain and cancer pain. This knowledge offers perspectives of discovery of new therapeutic possibilities which may form a non-toxic complementary treatment of cancer with the potential of improvement of the quality of life of our patients. This paper analyses current knowledge and future perspectives on this subject.