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Hallmark (2022): polymorphic microbiomes

The bacteria living in and around us differ from person to person and influence cancer risk, progression, and how well treatments work.

Gut microbiota modulate immunotherapy response; intratumoural bacteria drive inflammation and chemoresistance; colibactin leaves mutational signatures. FMT and defined consortia are in trials.

Cancer biology: what this kind of term is about · animated schematic, not to scale
Category
Cancer biology

Key papers

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reviewCancer Discovery 2022
Hallmarks of Cancer 2022: adding phenotypic plasticity, epigenetic reprogramming, microbiomes and senescent cells

Cancer is now understood to change its identity and behaviour without new mutations, to be shaped by bacteria inside and around it, and to be helped along by ageing cells. This explains why some tumours escape targeted drugs by changing cell type and why gut bacteria affect immunotherapy response.

Connected

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technologies

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Dietary fibre and the gut microbiome for immunotherapy response

pathways

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Microbiome–tumour interactions

terms

2
Gut microbiome diversity and compositionHallmarks of Cancer

ideas

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Microbiome transplant as a routine immunotherapy adjunct

key papers

1
Hallmarks of Cancer 2022: adding phenotypic plasticity, epigenetic reprogramming, microbiomes and senescent cells