Therapeutic implications of probiotics in microbiota dysbiosis: A special reference to the liver and oral cancers

Life Sci. 2021 Nov 15:285:120008. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.120008. Epub 2021 Oct 1.

Abstract

The microbiota plays an important role in maintaining the body's homeostasis. Imbalance in the microbiota is referred to as microbiota dysbiosis. Microbiota dysbiosis leads to pro-inflammatory immune response and progression of cancer- one of the leading causes of mortality globally. Accumulating evidence suggest the role of microbiota-dysbiosis in the liver and oral carcinogenesis and the therapeutic role of probiotic strains against these diseases. Probiotics are active microbial strains that have recently gained clinical importance due to their beneficial effects on the human body associated with the prevention and treatment of different diseases, including cancer. Multiple researchers have reported the use of probiotic strains in the modulation of microbiota and immune responses for cancer prevention and management. Clinical trials have also highlighted the efficacy of probiotic strains in reducing the side effects of microbiota dysbiosis related to cancer. In this context, the probiotic-mediated modulation to reverse microbiota dysbiosis is now considered one of the possible novel strategies for cancer prevention and management. In this article, we review the association between microbiota dysbiosis and liver/oral cancer. This review highlights the research advances on the anti-cancer activity of probiotic strains and their metabolites in the management of liver and oral cancers.

Keywords: Liver cancer; Microbes; Microbiota dysbiosis; Oral cancer; Probiotics; Therapy.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Dysbiosis / etiology*
  • Dysbiosis / microbiology
  • Dysbiosis / therapy*
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome*
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / complications
  • Liver Neoplasms / microbiology
  • Liver Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Mouth Neoplasms / complications
  • Mouth Neoplasms / microbiology
  • Mouth Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Probiotics / therapeutic use*