INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF
CancerGenetics
The Intratumoral Microbiome in Cancer: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Perspectives
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Reyhaneh Sajed,1,* Mehdi Dadashpour,2 Najaf Allahyari Fard,3
1. semums
2. semums
3. National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
- Introduction: Background: The human microbiome has emerged as a critical modulator of cancer development and therapeutic response. Recent advances in sequencing have revealed that tumor tissues harbor distinct microbial communities that significantly influence tumor biology. Objective: This review synthesizes current knowledge on the role of intratumoral microbiota in cancer initiation, progression, and treatment.
- Methods: we conducted a comprehensive narrative review of recent literature on intratumoral microbiota.
- Results: The intratumoral microbiota originates from three sources: mucosal invasion, adjacent tissue migration, and hematogenous dissemination. Six major mechanisms promote tumorigenesis: genomic instability via colibactin and BFT; epigenetic modifications; chronic inflammation through TLR/NF-κB; immune evasion via TIGIT and PD-L1; metabolic regulation through SCFAs; and EMT-mediated metastasis. Microbiome composition varies across cancer types: F. nucleatum and ETBF in colorectal cancer; H. pylori in gastric cancer; Pseudomonas in breast cancer. Microbial signatures serve as prognostic biomarkers. Therapeutic strategies include engineered bacteria, oncolytic viruses, bacteriophages, and FMT. Furthermore, the gut and intratumoral microbiomes exhibit reciprocal interactions that shape the tumor immune microenvironment and influence treatment outcomes.
- Conclusion: The intratumoral microbiome represents a promising target for diagnosis, prognosis, and personalized therapy.
- Keywords: Keywords: Intratumoral microbiota, Cancer, Microbiome, Immunotherapy
