Gut microbiome as a tumor promoter and tumor suppressor

Abstract

The human microbiome is the aggregate of all the microbiota that reside on and within the human body. They have the ability to affect the homeostasis of the host body and change its pathology by the production of various metabolites. There is complex crosstalk occurring between the gut microbiome and the host through the gut-brain axis. Gut microbiome plays a dual role in cancer by promoting as well as by inhibiting tumor formation. Tumor formation may be initiated by the release of certain metabolites which cause degradation and DNA breaks. However, a number of probiotic microbiota, residing in the gut can help prevent cancer initiation by provoking apoptosis in cancer cells, as well as increasing the efficiency of anticancer therapy and reducing its toxicity outcomes. Any imbalance in the microbiome composition leads to the alteration of the non-pathogenic potential of the microbiome and an increased risk of diseases in the host. Establishing a robust understanding of this interplay can be instrumental for understanding the factors leading to tumor formation. This review highlights the interplay between the host and gut microbiome, as well as the role of the gut microbiome in cancer prevention, tumor formation, and anticancer therapy.