Gut microbiota and urological cancers: from microecological imbalance to potential for precision therapy.

Abstract

In recent years, the gut microbiota plays an important role in the occurrence and development of a variety of diseases, especially in the field of oncology, where research progress has become increasingly significant. The complex relationship between urological tumors, such as renal, bladder and prostate cancers, and the gut microbiota has become a hot research topic. The gut microbiota influences the development, progression, and therapeutic response of urological tumors through multiple mechanisms, such as immune regulation, carcinogen metabolism, and chronic inflammation. We summarize the correlation between microbiota imbalance and urological tumors, highlighting the role of specific microbial groups in cancer immunotherapy, especially the synergistic effect in the treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Although the impact of the gut microbiota on urological tumors is becoming clearer, challenges remain in how to precisely modulate the microbiota to optimize therapeutic outcomes. Future research should focus on how to improve the therapeutic efficacy and prognosis of urological tumors through personalized dietary interventions, probiotic applications, and the combination of microbiota and drug therapies. These innovative directions provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment of urologic tumors.