THE MICROBIAL BLUEPRINT OF CANCER: GUT MICROBIOME AS AN ARCHITECT OF TUMOUR FATE AND THERAPEUTIC RESPONSE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22159/ijap.2026v18i3.55166Keywords:
Genotoxicity, Radiation, Carcinogenesis, Gut microbiota, Cancer preventionAbstract
It is now commonly acknowledged that the human gut microbiome, which is made up of a dynamic and complex population of trillions of microbes, plays a significant role in controlling human health and illness. A growing body of research demonstrates its role in the development and spread of many types of cancer, as well as its impact on how well cancer treatments work. Through persistent inflammation, DNA damage, immune evasion, metabolic changes, and epigenetic modifications, dysbiosis—an imbalance in the microbial ecosystem—contributes to carcinogenesis. Additionally, the gut flora influences the toxicity and effectiveness of radiation, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy. This study offers a thorough assessment of recent discoveries relating the gut microbiota to the development of cancer and treatment results. Cancer-specific microbial fingerprints across key tumor types are described, coupled with the mechanistic mechanisms of microbiota-driven carcinogenesis. Probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), and microbiome-targeted therapies are among the new therapeutic approaches that are also rigorously examined. This study highlights prospects for incorporating microbiome science into precision oncology by resolving current obstacles and knowledge gaps, opening the door to individualised cancer prevention and therapy.
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