The microbiome in cancer

Anqi Lin, Donghai County People's Hospital (Affiliated Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University) Lianyungang China.
Minying Xiong, Department of Oncology Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University Guangzhou China.
Aimin Jiang, Department of Urology Changhai hospital, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University) Shanghai China.
Lihaoyun Huang, Department of Oncology Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University Guangzhou China.
Hank Z. Wong, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong China.
Suyin Feng, Donghai County People's Hospital (Affiliated Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University) Lianyungang China.
Chunyan Zhang, Department of Oncology Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University Guangzhou China.
Yu Li, Department of Oncology Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University Guangzhou China.
Li Chen, Cancer Centre and Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences University of Macau Macau China.
Hao Chi, Western (Chongqing) Institut for Digital-Intelligent Medicine Chongqing China.
Pengpeng Zhang, Department of Lung Cancer Tianjin Lung Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital Tianjin China.
Bicheng Ye, Liver Disease Center of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Department of Radiology Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nurturing Center of Jiangsu Province for State Laboratory of AI Imaging & Interventional Radiology (Southeast University) Nanjing China.
Hengguo Zhang, Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Research of Anhui Province College & Hospital of Stomatology, Anhui Medical University Hefei China.
Nan Zhang, College of Life Science and Technology Huazhong University of Science and Technology Hubei China.
Lingxuan Zhu, Department of Oncology Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University Guangzhou China.
Weiming Mou, Department of Oncology Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University Guangzhou China.
Junyi Shen, Department of Oncology Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University Guangzhou China.
Kailai Li, Department of Oncology Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University Guangzhou China.
Wentao Xu, Department of Oncology Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University Guangzhou China.
Haoxuan Ying, Department of Oncology Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University Guangzhou China.
Cangang Zhang, Department of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an China.
Dongqiang Zeng, Department of Oncology Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University Guangzhou China.
Jindong Xie, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center Guangzhou China.
Xinpei Deng, Department of Urology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer Guangzhou China.
Qi Wang, Department of Oncology Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai China.
Jianying Xu, Department of Medicine II LMU University Hospital Munich Germany.
Wenjie Shi, Molecular and Experimental Surgery, Clinic for General-, Visceral-, Vascular- and Transplantation Surgery, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Magdeburg Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg Germany.
Chang Qi, Institute of Logic and Computation Vienna University of Technology Vienna Austria.
Chunrun Qu, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine University of Oxford Oxford UK.
Xufeng Huang, Department of Data Visualization, Faculty of Informatics University of Debrecen Debrecen Hungary.
András Hajdu, Department of Data Visualization, Faculty of Informatics University of Debrecen Debrecen Hungary.
Chaoqun Li, Hillman Cancer Center UPMC Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USA.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

10-1-2025

Journal

iMeta

Volume

4

Issue

5

DOI

10.1002/imt2.70070

Keywords

cancer; microbiome; precision oncology; treatment; tumor microenvironment

Abstract

The human microbiome is now recognized as a central regulator of cancer biology, intricately shaping tumor development, immune dynamics, and therapeutic response. This comprehensive review delineates the multifaceted roles of bacteria, viruses, and fungi in modulating the tumor microenvironment and systemic immunity across diverse cancer types. We synthesize current evidence on how microbial dysbiosis promotes carcinogenesis via chronic inflammation, metabolic reprogramming, genotoxic stress, immune evasion, and epigenetic remodeling. This review emphasizes organ-specific microbiome signatures and highlights their potential as non-invasive biomarkers for early detection, treatment stratification, and prognosis. Furthermore, we explore the impact of intratumoral microbiota on cancer therapies, uncovering how microbial metabolites and host-microbe interactions shape therapeutic efficacy and resistance. Finally, advances in microbiome-targeted strategies, such as probiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation, and engineered microbes offer new avenues for adjunctive cancer therapy. This review provides a roadmap for future investigation and underscores the transformative promise of microbiome modulation in cancer prevention and treatment.

Department

Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine

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