Cancer experts urge caution on microbiome therapies despite growing resea...

Can “gut microbiome improvement therapy,” often discussed as an alternative approach to cancer treatment, truly help cancer patients? Cancer specialists say the evidence remains far from conclusive.

“While research into the relationship between the microbiome and cancer is indeed active, there is still insufficient evidence that therapies aimed at improving the gut microbiome help breast cancer patients,” said Professor Seo Kyung-jin of the Department of Hematology and Oncology at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital on the hospital’s YouTube channel.

Cancer specialists remain cautious about the effects of the gut microbiome on cancer patients, citing the lack of definitive clinical evidence. (Credit: Getty Images)

The microbiome refers to the ecosystem of microorganisms living in the gut. Because the intestines contain a large number of immune cells, some proponents argue that improving the gut microbiome can strengthen the immune system and help the body more effectively destroy cancer cells.

Several studies have also partially supported this theory.

Professor Seo noted that many studies have reported links between the microbiome and responses to immunotherapy or survival outcomes in cancer patients. Other research has suggested that diet can alter the microbiome, while some data indicate that fecal microbiota transplantation from individuals with healthy gut environments may help reduce tumors.

However, cancer specialists still do not recommend microbiome improvement therapy as a standard cancer treatment.

“We do not yet recommend it as a standard treatment because clinical trials have not clearly demonstrated which substances, in what form and at what dosage improve survival or treatment outcomes in cancer patients,” Seo said.

She further cautioned that although future studies may eventually provide clear evidence supporting microbiome-based therapies in cancer treatment, patients should avoid indiscriminately consuming products marketed for microbiome improvement without proven evidence.

“Not only may such approaches be ineffective, but they could also lead to unexpected side effects,” Seo added.

Kim Kyoung-Won