Crosstalk between Gut Microbiota and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract

In recent decades, gut microbiota have received emerging attention regarding their integral role in chronic liver disease progression, given the anatomic connection and the gut–liver axis. Emerging evidence has indicated a complex link between gut microbiota and hepatocellular carcinoma. This review explores the pathophysiological crosstalk between gut dysbiosis and hepatocarcinogenesis. The metabolic and immunologic effects mediated by gut-microbiota-derived metabolites, such as bile acids, short-chain fatty acids, and alcohol, could impact the aberrant biological behavior of hepatocellular carcinoma. This review also investigates the value of gut microbiota as novel non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers for the early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma, and summarizes the changes in the gut microbiota spectrum in patients with liver cancer. The current literature and studies on the role of the gut microbiota as adjuvant agents in liver cancer immunotherapy are reviewed.