The Microbiome as Biomarker of Disease: New Findings

The key to fighting many types of cancer may lie deep within the human body. Emerging research being conducted in the UK and Netherlands indicates the microbiome — a spectrum of bacteria and other microorganisms found throughout the body — has direct and indirect effects on cancer immunotherapy, a promising form of treatment that uses the immune system to fight cancer.

“The development of immunotherapies has been groundbreaking in many disease types including melanoma and lung cancer,” shared LCI medical oncologist Arielle Heeke, MD. “Research teams globally are assessing variables that can influence a patient's immunity and therefore responsiveness to immunotherapy,” she added.

Dr. Heeke and other clinicians at LCI are currently investigating how changes in microbiomes, including those of the gut and breast, predict responses to certain cancer therapies and improve long-term outcomes in patients. One such cancer therapy involves immune checkpoint inhibitors, which help the body identify and attack cancer cells.

Dr. Heeke, who was recently published in ASCO Daily News, an online periodical of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, has a positive outlook on the trajectory of this research and its implications for patients at LCI. “Particularly for patients being treated with immunotherapy, a diverse gut microbiome may facilitate improved and durable responses to therapy and may facilitate an improved toxicity profile, especially as it relates to colitis,” commented Dr. Heeke.

To learn how biology, lifestyle, and geographic factors play a role in harnessing the power of the gut microbiome, read more from Dr. Heeke on ASCO Daily News: Bit.ly/microbiomestudy