JAMA Clinical Reviews Microbiome and Risk for Cancer Outcomes
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May 12, 2025 In this engaging discussion, Jennifer Wargo, Arlie Clark Professor of Surgical Oncology and Genomic Medicine at MD Anderson Cancer Center, explores how the human microbiome can influence cancer risk and treatment outcomes. She emphasizes the importance of a diverse microbiome in immune function and discusses strategies like dietary changes and fecal transplants to enhance treatment efficacy. Wargo also highlights how lifestyle factors, including exercise and nutrition, can play a pivotal role in improving cancer prognosis, urging a reevaluation of antibiotic use for patients.
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Healthy Microbiome Traits
- A healthy gut microbiome is diverse and rich in beneficial microbes that help immune and metabolic functions.
- Imbalance with harmful microbes can cause systemic inflammation and impair immune responses.
Improve Microbiome for Cancer Therapy
- Avoid broad-spectrum antibiotics before immunotherapy as they reduce microbiome diversity and worsen outcomes.
- Promote a high fiber diet to improve microbiome health and immunotherapy response in cancer patients.
Lifestyle's Impact on Microbiome
- Medications, sleep, and exercise significantly impact the gut microbiome.
- Gut microbes produce metabolites influencing immunity, affecting vaccine and cancer treatment responses.