The Role of Probiotics in Colorectal Cancer Management

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancerous diseases worldwide and causes leading cancer-associated deaths. Several factors are related to the incidence of CRC such as unhealthy diet and lifestyle, heredity, metabolic disorders, and genetic factors. Even though several advanced medical procedures are available for CRC treatment, the survival rates are poor with many adverse treatments associated side effects, which affects the quality of life. Probiotics are a well-known bioactive candidate for the treatment of several diseases and ill-health conditions. e recent scientific evidence suggested that probiotic supplementation protects the CRC patients from treatment-associated adverse effects. e manuscript summarizes the influence of probiotic supplementation on the health status of CRC patients and discusses the possible mechanism behind the protective effect of probiotics against CRC. e literature survey revealed that beneficial impact of probiotic supplementation depends on several factors such as strain, dosage, duration of the intervention, host physiology, and other food supplements. e probiotic intervention improves the microbiota, releases antimicrobials and anticarcinogenic agents, helps to remove carcinogens, and improves the intestinal permeability, tight junction function, and enzyme activity in CRC patients. Besides, not all probiotic strains exhibit anti-CRC activities; it is necessary to screen the potent strain for the development of a probiotic-based therapeutic agent to control or prevent the incidence of CRC.

Lactobacillus bulgaricus inhibits colitis-associated cancer via a negative regulation of intestinal inflammation in azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate model

“…Dysregulation of gut microbiota has been associated with increased inflammation and the administration of probiotics have been reported to prevent chronic inflammatory diseases[ 41 ]. In recent years there has been growing interest in the possible application of probiotics as a part of combination therapy with conventional treatment of cancer[ 41 - 43 ]. However, studies investigating probiotics effects in patients with CRC are still very limited.…”

“…However, studies investigating probiotics effects in patients with CRC are still very limited. For clinical application in humans many other studies, mainly randomized controlled trials would be needed to better evaluate the dosage, duration of the intervention and host physiology for confirm these findings[ 41 ].…”

“…Several researches have indicated that the use of probiotics might improve beneficial microbiota, induce the release of antimicrobials and anticarcinogenic agents that help to remove carcinogens, and modulate immune responses that decrease intestinal inflammation in CRC patients[ 41 , 44 , 45 ]. Here, we have shown that L. bulgaricus inhibited CAC via a negative regulation of intestinal inflammation.…”

Recent advances in the application of probiotic yeasts, particularly Saccharomyces, as an adjuvant therapy in the management of cancer with focus on colorectal cancer

“…However, not all of the probiotic strains possess anti-CRC properties. Hence, further studies are required to identify potent probiotics, as probiotic-based therapeutic agents, to prevent and treat CRC [ 62 ].…”

A Fragile Balance: The Important Role of the Intestinal Microbiota in the Prevention and Management of Colorectal Cancer

“…Additionally, another study established that probiotics also have an effect on the production of SCFAs: by modulating the abundance of beneficial flora, they increase the production of butyrate [43]. Due to their effect of increasing SCFAs, probiotics have a unique ability to induce apoptosis and suppress cell proliferation [44]. Overall, these studies lead to the conclusion that probiotics have a bright future as an efficient way to prevent CRC.…”