From Microbes to Medicine: How Microbiota Profiling Is Shaping the Future of Cancer Therapy Publisher



Abdolshahi A ; Naderian R ; Tahmasebi H ; Paraandavaji E ; Hemmati MA ; Kashanipoor S ; Eslami M
Source: Gene Reports Published:2026

Abstract

Microbiota profiling is increasingly recognized as fundamental in advancing personalized cancer therapy. Beyond identifying microbial biomarkers, this review positions microbiota profiling as a dynamic and functional axis in precision oncology capable of both informing patient stratification and being therapeutically modulated to enhance treatment efficacy. By uncovering the dynamics of host-microbiota interactions, it sheds light on their impact on carcinogenesis, tumor progression, and treatment outcomes. This review synthesizes the latest advancements, ongoing challenges, and future directions for microbiome-based strategies in cancer treatment. This study adopts a narrative review approach, synthesizing findings from peer-reviewed articles indexed in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, using a focused search strategy, as detailed in the methodology. The focus centers on microbiota profiling, its roles in cancer therapy, and related therapeutic implications. Microbiota profiling facilitates detailed characterization of microbial ecosystems and their involvement in cancer development and treatment. The next-generation sequencing, metabolomics, and machine learning have enhanced the discovery of microbial biomarkers. Emerging microbiota-focused interventions, including fecal microbiota transplantation and probiotic therapies, show promise in improving responses to immunotherapy and chemotherapy. However, clinical implementation faces hurdles such as interindividual variability, lack of standardization, and ethical complexities. Microbiota profiling represents a revolution for personalizing cancer treatments. This review synthesizes recent advances in microbiome-focused analytical technologies and examines their implications for cancer diagnosis, treatment, and immune modulation, highlighting key translational opportunities and future directions in oncology. © 2025 Elsevier Inc.