Intratumor microbiota: a new perspective in cancer initiation, development, and therapy

Abstract

Microbes have been identified as significantly impacting human health. Considerable attention has been focused on how microbiota affects cancer initiation, development, and therapeutic response. However, the role of intratumor microbiota in cancer remains largely unexplored. This review provides a detailed examination of intratumor microbiota characteristics and their interactions with tumor microenvironment, focusing on microbiota composition in various systems and its clinical role in different tumor types. Furthermore, the review explores the potential applications of intratumor microbiota in cancer immunotherapy, including their role as immune enhancers, new drug delivery targets, and anticancer therapeutic agents. In conclusion, these insights may facilitate the use of microbiota for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and the development of new therapeutic strategies.