Endocrine Disruptors in Food, Estrobolome and Breast Cancer

Abstract

The microbiota is now recognized as one of the major players in human health and diseases, including cancer. Regarding breast cancer (BC), a clear link between microbiota and oncogenesis still needs to be confirmed. Yet, part of the bacterial gene mass inside the gut, constituting the so called “estrobolome”, influences sexual hormonal balance and, since the increased exposure to estrogens is associated with an increased risk, may impact on the onset, progression, and treatment of hormonal dependent cancers (which account for more than 70% of all BCs). The hormonal dependent BCs are also affected by environmental and dietary endocrine disruptors and phytoestrogens which interact with microbiota in a bidirectional way: on the one side disruptors can alter the composition and functions of the estrobolome, ad on the other the gut microbiota influences the metabolism of endocrine active food components. This review highlights the current evidence about the complex interplay between endocrine disruptors, phytoestrogens, microbiome, and BC, within the frames of a new “oncobiotic” perspective.

Dietary Behavior and Its Association with Nutrition Literacy and Dietary Attitude Among Breast Cancer Patients Treated with Chemotherapy: A Multicenter Survey of Hospitals in China

“…These participants were young and needed to consider foods that may affect estrogen levels. 53 In addition, patients who had 3 or more comorbidities exhibited higher dietary behavior scores. Most of the existing literature 54 focuses on the relationship between comorbidities and breast cancer risk, and we assumed that patients with many comorbidities may be more cautious of dietary management because many chronic diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension, have certain dietary requirements, and it is easier for these patients to develop healthy eating habits in daily life.…”

Microbial Communities in Gynecological Cancers and Their Association with Tumor Somatic Variation

“…Estrogen association with EEC is well documented, especially with imbalanced estrogen production and signaling [ 49 ]. In vivo, estrogen is synthesized from cholesterol which is an intrinsic component of lipid metabolism [ 50 ]. Unbalances of estrogen production has been associated to a wide range of tumors, besides endometrial and breast cancers, and the microbiome has been implicated in some of these disruptions [ 50 ].…”

Polyphenols Influence the Development of Endometrial Cancer by Modulating the Gut Microbiota

“…During the menopausal period, increased enzymatic activity of gut β-glucuronidase potentially plays a protective role in preventing diseases and improving health [ 47 ]. Studies have shown that β-glucuronidase is synthesised by over 60 types of Gram-negative gut bacteria, with key strains including Bacteroidetes , Firmicutes , Verrucomicrobia , Proteobacteria , Lactobacillus , Bifidobacterium , Enterococcus , Citrobacter , Propionibacterium , Clostridium , Collinsella, and Streptococcus [ 35 , 48 ].…”

“…Certain bacteria are associated with polyphenol metabolism. Two main pathways through which the microbiome influences the hormonal balance of the reproductive system have been identified: (1) in the deconjugation-independent pathway, some phytoestrogens present in food are metabolised by specific gut bacteria into bioactive compounds; and (2) in the deconjugation-dependent pathway, oestrogens excreted by the liver into the intestinal lumen can be deconjugated by hydrolytic enzymes (β-glucuronidases and β-glucosidases), potentially increasing their reabsorption through enterohepatic circulation [ 48 ]. The most frequently mentioned include Flavonifractor plautii , Slackia equolifaciens , Slackia isoflavoniconvertens , Adlercreutzia equolifaciens , Eubacterium ramulus , Eggerthella lenta , Lactobacillus , and Bifidobacterium spp., with different bacteria showing affinity for different groups of polyphenols [ 52 ].…”