Microbiota–Gastric Cancer Interactions and the Potential Influence of Nutritional Therapies

Abstract

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common causes of cancer deaths, and GC treatments represent a large area of research. Although initially regarded as a sterile organ and unsuitable for microbial communities, the discovery of Helicobacter pylori made us realize that some microbes can colonize the stomach. In recent years, growing interest in gastric bacteria has expanded to the gut microbiota and, more recently, to the oral microbiota. Indeed, the oral–gastric–gut microbiota axis may play a crucial role in maintaining homeostasis, while changes in microbiota composition in GC patients can influence clinical outcomes. On the one hand, the microbiota and its metabolites may significantly influence the progression of GC, while anti-GC treatments such as gastrectomy and chemotherapy may significantly impact the oral–gastric–gut microbiota axis of GC patients. In this context, the role of nutritional therapies, including diet, prebiotics, and probiotics, in treating GC should not be underestimated. Wit this review, we aim to highlight the main role of the gastric, oral, and gut microbiota in GC onset and progression, representing potential future biomarkers for early GC detection and a target for efficient nutritional therapies during the course of GC.

Prognosis and Treatment of Gastric Cancer: A 2024 Update

“…The oral-gastrointestinal microbiota axis of GC patients can be greatly impacted by anti-GC treatments, such as chemotherapy and gastrectomy, while on the one hand, the microbiota and its metabolites can have a major influence on the course of the disease [63]. A novel theoretical foundation for cancer management against GC is the restoration of intestinal microbial butyrate, which increases CD8+ T-cell cytotoxicity through hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 2 (HCA2), also known as GPR109A/HOP homeobox (HOPX) and inhibits GC carcinogenesis [64].…”