Effect of Gut Microbiome on Chemotherapy Response in Patients with Colorectal Cancer: a Prospective Cohort Study

Abstract

This review aims to explore the emerging role of the tumor microbiome in tumor development and treatment, particularly in the impact of chemotherapy responses in patients with colorectal cancer. We discussed that the gut microbiome may influence the occurrence and progression of colorectal cancer by participating in the occurrence of colorectal cancer and regulating the host's immune response and metabolic status, as well as the effect of chemotherapy by influencing drug metabolism, regulating immune response, or participating in the side effects of chemotherapy. Research suggests that tweaking the gut microbiome may help improve the efficacy of chemotherapy. This may involve strategies such as the use of probiotics, prebiotics, or fecal microbial transplants. However, there are many challenges to the application of these strategies, such as the fact that we do not yet know which microbes are beneficial and which are harmful, and that the same strategy may have different effects on different people. Future research may therefore focus on a deeper understanding of how the gut microbiome influences tumor biological behavior and how this knowledge can be used to improve treatment outcomes for patients with colorectal cancer.