Intratumor Microbiome in Cancer Progression: Current Developments, Challenges and Future Trends

Overview

Journal Biomark Res

Publisher Biomed Central

Date 2022 Jun 1

PMID 35642013

Authors

Jinyan Liu

Yi Zhang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Cancer is a complicated disease attributed to multifactorial changes, which causes difficulties with treatment strategies. Various factors have been regarded as the main contributors, and infectious etiological factors have recently attracted interest. Several microbiomes contribute to carcinogenesis, cancer progression, and modulating cancer treatment by inducing cancerous epithelial cells and chronic inflammation. Most of our knowledge on the role of microbiota in tumor oncogenesis and clinical efficiency is associated with the intestinal microbiome. However, compelling evidence has also confirmed the contribution of the intratumor microbiome in cancer. Indeed, the findings of clinical tumor samples, animal models, and studies in vitro have revealed that many intratumor microbiomes promote tumorigenesis and immune evasion. In addition, the intratumor microbiome participates in regulating the immune response and even affects the outcomes of cancer treatment. This review summarizes the interplay between the intratumor microbiota and cancer, focusing on the contribution and mechanism of intratumor microbiota in cancer initiation, progression, and potential applications to cancer therapy.

Citing Articles

The influence of Lactobacillus johnsonii on tumor growth and lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Xie M, Yang T, Liu Q, Ning Z, Feng L, Min X Commun Biol. 2025; 8(1):419.

PMID: 40074848 PMC: 11903660. DOI: 10.1038/s42003-025-07856-9.

Emerging roles of intratumoral microbiota: a key to novel cancer therapies.

Fang P, Yang J, Zhang H, Shuai D, Li M, Chen L Front Oncol. 2025; 15:1506577.

PMID: 40071093 PMC: 11893407. DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1506577.

Changes in L-phenylalanine concentration reflect and predict response to anti-PD-1 treatment combined with chemotherapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Liu Y, Ping Y, Zhang L, Zhao Q, Huo Y, Li C MedComm (2020). 2025; 6(3):e70100.

PMID: 39968502 PMC: 11832432. DOI: 10.1002/mco2.70100.

Progress in the Study of Intratumoral Microorganisms in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Song Y, Tian S, Li Z, Miao J, Wu M, Xu T J Hepatocell Carcinoma. 2025; 12():59-76.

PMID: 39845367 PMC: 11752873. DOI: 10.2147/JHC.S496964.

Immunogenic peptides putatively from intratumor microbes: Opportunities for colorectal cancer treatment.

Guan X, Bu F, Fu Y, Zhang H, Xiang H, Chen X iScience. 2024; 27(12):111338.

PMID: 39640572 PMC: 11617993. DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.111338.

References

Lau W, Wong J, Lam K, Ong G . Oesophageal microbial flora in carcinoma of the oesophagus. Aust N Z J Surg. 1981; 51(1):52-5. DOI: 10.1111/j.1445-2197.1981.tb05905.x. View

Mollerup S, Asplund M, Friis-Nielsen J, Kjartansdottir K, Fridholm H, Hansen T . High-Throughput Sequencing-Based Investigation of Viruses in Human Cancers by Multienrichment Approach. J Infect Dis. 2019; 220(8):1312-1324. PMC: 6743825. DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiz318. View

Michaud D, Izard J . Microbiota, oral microbiome, and pancreatic cancer. Cancer J. 2014; 20(3):203-6. PMC: 4160879. DOI: 10.1097/PPO.0000000000000046. View

Quispe-Tintaya W, Chandra D, Jahangir A, Harris M, Casadevall A, Dadachova E . Nontoxic radioactive Listeria(at) is a highly effective therapy against metastatic pancreatic cancer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013; 110(21):8668-73. PMC: 3666740. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1211287110. View

Le D, Wang-Gillam A, Picozzi V, Greten T, Crocenzi T, Springett G . Safety and survival with GVAX pancreas prime and Listeria Monocytogenes-expressing mesothelin (CRS-207) boost vaccines for metastatic pancreatic cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2015; 33(12):1325-33. PMC: 4397277. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2014.57.4244. View

Aykut B, Pushalkar S, Chen R, Li Q, Abengozar R, Kim J . The fungal mycobiome promotes pancreatic oncogenesis via activation of MBL. Nature. 2019; 574(7777):264-267. PMC: 6858566. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1608-2. View

Pushalkar S, Hundeyin M, Daley D, Zambirinis C, Kurz E, Mishra A . The Pancreatic Cancer Microbiome Promotes Oncogenesis by Induction of Innate and Adaptive Immune Suppression. Cancer Discov. 2018; 8(4):403-416. PMC: 6225783. DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.CD-17-1134. View

. Livingston-Wheeler therapy. CA Cancer J Clin. 1990; 40(2):103-8. DOI: 10.3322/canjclin.40.2.103. View

Fritz S, Hackert T, Hartwig W, Rossmanith F, Strobel O, Schneider L . Bacterial translocation and infected pancreatic necrosis in acute necrotizing pancreatitis derives from small bowel rather than from colon. Am J Surg. 2010; 200(1):111-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2009.08.019. View

10.

Baruch E, Youngster I, Ben-Betzalel G, Ortenberg R, Lahat A, Katz L . Fecal microbiota transplant promotes response in immunotherapy-refractory melanoma patients. Science. 2020; 371(6529):602-609. DOI: 10.1126/science.abb5920. View

11.

Rubinstein M, Wang X, Liu W, Hao Y, Cai G, Han Y . Fusobacterium nucleatum promotes colorectal carcinogenesis by modulating E-cadherin/β-catenin signaling via its FadA adhesin. Cell Host Microbe. 2013; 14(2):195-206. PMC: 3770529. DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2013.07.012. View

12.

Riquelme E, Zhang Y, Zhang L, Montiel M, Zoltan M, Dong W . Tumor Microbiome Diversity and Composition Influence Pancreatic Cancer Outcomes. Cell. 2019; 178(4):795-806.e12. PMC: 7288240. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.07.008. View

13.

Li Y, Elmen L, Segota I, Xian Y, Tinoco R, Feng Y . Prebiotic-Induced Anti-tumor Immunity Attenuates Tumor Growth. Cell Rep. 2020; 30(6):1753-1766.e6. PMC: 7053418. DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.01.035. View

14.

Zhou D, Wang J, Weng M, Zhang Y, Wang X, Gong W . Infections of Helicobacter spp. in the biliary system are associated with biliary tract cancer: a meta-analysis. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2013; 25(4):447-54. DOI: 10.1097/MEG.0b013e32835c0362. View

15.

Zheng D, Deng W, Song W, Wu C, Liu J, Hong S . Biomaterial-mediated modulation of oral microbiota synergizes with PD-1 blockade in mice with oral squamous cell carcinoma. Nat Biomed Eng. 2021; 6(1):32-43. DOI: 10.1038/s41551-021-00807-9. View

16.

Namiki K, Goodison S, Porvasnik S, Allan R, Iczkowski K, Urbanek C . Persistent exposure to Mycoplasma induces malignant transformation of human prostate cells. PLoS One. 2009; 4(9):e6872. PMC: 2730529. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0006872. View

17.

Norder Grusell E, Dahlen G, Ruth M, Bergquist H, Bove M . The cultivable bacterial flora of the esophagus in subjects with esophagitis. Scand J Gastroenterol. 2018; 53(6):650-656. DOI: 10.1080/00365521.2018.1457712. View

18.

Ogrendik M . Oral bacteria in pancreatic cancer: mutagenesis of the p53 tumour suppressor gene. Int J Clin Exp Pathol. 2015; 8(9):11835-6. PMC: 4637753. View

19.

Klein C, Samwel K, Kahesa C, Mwaiselage J, West J, Wood C . Mycoplasma Co-Infection Is Associated with Cervical Cancer Risk. Cancers (Basel). 2020; 12(5). PMC: 7281224. DOI: 10.3390/cancers12051093. View

20.

Hanahan D, Weinberg R . Hallmarks of cancer: the next generation. Cell. 2011; 144(5):646-74. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2011.02.013. View