A Tool for the Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors: Micro-Ecological Immunotherapy

Abstract

It has been proposed that the intestinal microbiota and gastrointestinal tumors are interdependent. Changes in the microbiota can cause dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, thereby promoting carcinogenic changes, leading to the occurrence of gastrointestinal tumors. Recent studies on intestinal microbiota have opened up a new area in intestinal micro-ecological immunotherapy. The intestinal microbiota is a double-edged sword. Gut microbes participate in carcinogenesis, but can also be used for immunotherapy. The intestinal microbiota is also regulated by the daily diet. Intestinal micro-ecological immunotherapy combines intestinal immune nutrition and intestinal ecological nutrition to make full use of the intestinal microbiota to strengthen nutritional support. Micro-ecological immunotherapy enhances the body’s immune function by providing energy, improving the functional state of tissues and organs, protecting the intestinal mucosal barrier and maintaining normal intestinal microbiota balance. This involves, to some extent, PD-1 and PD-L1. The microbiota is beneficial to improve the clinical efficacy of conventional anti-cancer therapy and to reduce the incidence of complications. At the same time, micro-ecological immunotherapy is itself active and effective in the perioperative treatment of tumors, which is of great significance for the prognosis of the patient. Gastrointestinal tumors are increasingly linked to intestinal microbiota, and various microbiota-related technologies and drugs have been developed. In the future, the intestinal microbiota may represent a screening marker for gastrointestinal tumors. In addition, clinicians may be able to prevent and treat cancers by changing the gene expression levels of certain microbiota, or by regulating the types of microbes present.