Gut microbial metabolites for potentiating cancer therapy
Abstract
The gut microbiome exerts distant and local effects on tumours, healthy epithelial cells, and the immune system through the production of bioactive metabolites. This influences cancer therapy responses across treatment modalities and cancer types. In this review, we discuss promising approaches to boost beneficial microbiota-derived metabolites to enhance existing cancer therapies, including prebiotics, probiotics, postbiotics, and live biotherapeutic products. Each approach faces challenges in achieving physiological concentrations and tissue distribution, as well as different regulatory regimes and commercial landscapes. With promising early clinical trials and significant scientific and commercial activity in these areas, there is hope that targeted, metabolite-focused interventions will soon benefit cancer patients.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Gut microbiota and health
Cancer Research and Treatments
Probiotics and Fermented Foods
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Trends in cancer
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 725–740
- Publication date
- 27 May 2026
- Language
- EN