Esophageal cancer and bacterial part of gut microbiota – A multidisciplinary point of view

Abstract

There is an urgent need to search for new screening methods that allow early detection of esophageal cancer and thus achieve better clinical outcomes. Nowadays, it is known that the esophagus is not a sterile part of the gastrointestinal tract. It is colonized with various microorganisms therefore a “healthy” esophageal microbiome exists. The dysbiotic changes of esophageal microbiome can lead to the development of esophageal diseases including esophageal cancer. There is a strong consensus in the literature that the intestinal microbiome may be involved in esophageal carcinogenesis. Recently, emphasis has also been placed on the relationship between the oral microbiome and the occurrence of esophageal cancer. According to recent studies, some of the bacteria present in the oral cavity, such as Tannerella forsythia, Streptococcus anginosus, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Fusobacterium nucleatum may contribute to the development of this cancer. Moreover, the oral microbiome of patients with esophageal cancer differs significantly from that of healthy individuals. This opens new insights into the search for a microbiome-associated marker for early identification of patients at high risk for developing this cancer.

Fusobacterium nucleatum in tumors: from tumorigenesis to tumor metastasis and tumor resistance

“… 65 Augmented COX-2 expression, Toll-like receptor activation, and the effects of secreted metabolites are additional potential conduits through which F. nucleatum exerts its influence on esophageal cancer. 125 In a 2023 study, Ding et al reported that F. nucleatum infection led to an increase in the concentration of compounds such as putrescine and spermine, which are known to have favorable effects on the metastasis of ESCC. 66 Moreover, nascent evidence suggests a plausible association between the presence of F. nucleatum and ESCC metastasis, although the precise underlying mechanisms necessitate further elucidation.…”

The Influence of the Microbiome on Immunotherapy for Gastroesophageal Cancer

“…[ 17 ]. Recent studies suggest an association between ESCC and increased oral abundance of Firmicutes , Prevotella, Streptococcus , and Porphyromonas , as well as a decrease in Proteobacteria , Neisseriales, Lautropia, Bulleidia, Catonella, Corynebacterium, Moryella, Peptococcus , and Cardiobacterium [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ]. Similar but distinct changes have been observed in EAC, where Tannerella forsythia was associated with higher risk, while depletion of Neisseria and Streptococcus pneumoniae was associated with lower risk [ 22 , 23 ].…”

Causal relationship between gut microbiota and risk of esophageal cancer: evidence from Mendelian randomization study

“…The abundance, heterogeneity, and precise constitution of microbiota across various organs could potentially influence the pathogenesis of EC. Multiple research endeavors have posited that an imbalance within the gut microbial ecosystem, termed dysbiosis, could be implicated in the initiation and progression of esophageal neoplasia [17][18][19][20][21][22][23]. Individuals exhibiting reduced microbial richness in the esophagus and diminished salivary microbial diversity in China might be at an augmented risk of developing esophageal squamous dysplasia (a precursor to EC) and EC, correspondingly [24,25].…”