Investigating the role of the intratumoral microbiome in thyroid cancer development and progression

Abstract

The intratumoral microbiome (ITM) is in the spotlight due to its possible contribution to the initiation, progression, and invasion of a wide range of cancers. Its precise contribution to cancer tumorigenesis is still elusive, though. Thyroid cancer(TC), the ninth leading cause of cancer globally and the most prevalent endocrine malignancy with a rapidly rising incidence among all cancers, has attracted much attention nowadays. Still, the association between the tumor's microbiome and TC progression and development is an evolving area of investigation with significant consequences for disease understanding and intervention. Therefore, this review offers an appropriate perspective on this emerging concept in TC based on prior studies on the ITM among the most common tumors worldwide, concentrating on TC. Moreover, information on the origin of the ITM and practical methods can pave the way for researchers to opt for the most appropriate method for further investigations on the ITM more accurately.