New study below [1].
Abstract.
Prostate cancer (Pca) is the second most common
cancer type worldwide. Microorganisms colonized in different
body parts may affect the development/progression and
treatment of Pca through direct or indirect interactions. The
composition of microorganisms in different colonization sites
and their effects on Pca may differ. In recent years, several
studies have focused on the differences in the microbiota of
patients with Pca, and dysbiosis may affect the inflammatory
status, hormone levels and microbial metabolites leading to
Pca progression. However, little is known about the interaction
between Pca treatment and microorganisms; for example,
how androgen deprivation therapy and androgen receptor
axis‑targeting therapeutics for Pca affect microbiota composition
and metabolism, and how the microbiota affects treatment
response in patients with Pca remain to be understood. The
present review explored the current studies on the relevance
of microbiota to Pca progression and treatment to provide
direction for future microbiome‑Pca research. Due to the
complexity of the potential interconnections between Pca and
the microbiota, further investigation is critical.
1. Introduction
The human body contains microbiota, which plays a vital
role in health and disease; the number of microorganisms
is estimated to be ~1013, and constitutes 1‑3% of the body
mass (1). Microbiota is in a symbiotic equilibrium with the
host. Environmental factors including age, diet, disease and
drug metabolism can lead to microbial imbalance, which can
induce inflammatory responses or lead to drug resistance (2,3).
Disruption of this equilibrium also has an impact on cancer;
the microbiota can influence every stage of cancer as well as
the therapeutic process through direct and indirect actions, the
main mechanisms of which may be associated with the metabolites
produced by microorganisms and the inflammatory state
they cause (4,5). There are also beneficial effects of microbiota
on cancer treatment, as confirmed by recent clinical trials on
fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in combination with
immunotherapy for cancer treatment, potentially opening up
new targets for cancer treatment (6).
Prostate cancer (Pca) is the second most common
cancer type globally, with nearly 1.4 million new cases and
~0.4 million Pca‑associated mortalities worldwide in 2020 (7).
Radical surgery and radiotherapy continue to be the options
for treating localized diseases. Androgen deprivation therapy
(ADT), hormone therapy and chemotherapy are also effective
in male patients with Pca (8). However, certain patients
progress to castration‑resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) within
2‑3 years after starting ADT treatment, resulting in a poor
prognosis (9). However, there is still a lack of effective tests
to distinguish between indolent and resistant Pca at an early
stage. Thus, there is an urgent need for improved risk stratification
tools to avoid overtreatment and under‑treatment of
aggressive Pca (10).
Next‑generation sequencing (NGS) and metagenomics are
expected further to establish the link between microbiota and
Pca, opening up new areas of Pca research (11). Microbiota may
not only be a stratification factor to predict risk, but may also
provide new options for treating Pca by clarifying the interaction
between cancer and microbiota (12). Therefore, understanding
the link between the microbiome and Pca is critical.
It has been proposed that the microbiota may have a direct
or indirect effect on Pca tumorigenesis and progression.
However, further research is needed to provide definitive
evidence in this area (13). In the present review, focus was
addressed on the effect of prostate cancer treatment on the
microbiome and the scope of the microbiome was expanded
to include the entire body, not just the intestinal microbiome.
The present review provides a detailed overview of the current
research on the role of human microorganisms in the risk,
progression and treatment of Pca from the aspects of direct
and indirect mechanisms.
2. Microbiota and Pca (see paper for details)
3. Conclusions and future directions
The present review aimed to clarify the direction of subsequent
research by providing the current state of research
in Pca and microbiota research. An increasing number of
studies have been conducted to analyze the correlation
between microbiota and Pca. Microbiota is recognized
as one of the potentially critical factors influencing Pca
development/progression. However, there is still a lack of
adequate understanding of the mechanisms of microbiota
at different locations in the development/progression and
treatment of Pca. Recent studies have demonstrated that,
compared with healthy individuals, there may be differences
in the abundance of microbiota in patients with Pca, whether
in the urethra, prostate tissue or intestine. Nevertheless,
the research provided in the present review often presents
conflicting information, emphasizing the need for further
study in this area using a standardized approach.
Research on the association between urinary and prostate
microbiota and Pca has progressed slowly. Previous
studies suggest that epithelial structural disruption and
inflammatory states leading to colonization may be potential
mechanisms for Pca progression. However, this mechanism
is not yet understood. Gut microbiota may act indirectly
through different microbiota metabolites and sex hormone
levels, and influence Pca progression and treatment (Fig. 2).
Understanding how gut microbiota affects Pca will help to
stratify in an improved manner the risk of Pca progression
and develop new treatments. The impact of the microbiome
on cancer (including Pca) treatment is bilateral. On one hand,
the microbiome can significantly influence the treatment of
cancer, while cancer treatment can in turn shape the composition
of the microbiome. As therapeutic tools continue to
evolve, particularly ATT treatment for Pca, it is critical
to explore and understand the complex underlying links
between Pca and the microbiome.
-Patrick
[1] google.com/search?q=%22The+...
click on the Spandidos link for the Adobe doc.
Nitric Oxide -- slows prostate cancer progression and PSA doubling time.
The Role of HSD3B1 in Prostate Cancer Progression and Treatment