ROLE OF THE FEMALE GUT AND REPRODUCTIVE TRACT MICROBIOME-DERIVED PROTEINS IN MODULATING CANCER THERAPEUTIC RESPONSE; A REVIEW

Abstract

The importance of the human microbiome in regulating the onset, progression, and reaction to cancer treatment is becoming increasingly recognized. New findings suggest that microbial communities and the proteins they are associated with may influence tumor behavior, immune modulation, and treatment efficacy. The role of the female-specific microbiome in cancer treatment, particularly in relation to the proteomic environment of the gut and reproductive tract, is, however, poorly understood. This review aims to investigate the impact of the female reproductive tract and gut microbiome on cancer treatment outcomes. One of the main goals of this review is to examine menstrual blood as a new and underutilized biological resource with promising therapeutic potential. Menstrual blood contains a wide range of immune-modulatory, anti-inflammatory, and bioactive proteins produced by the reproductive tract microbiome and host tissues. Concurrent gut microbiota profiling of lung and breast cancer patients identifies microbial signatures associated with treatment response, tumor aggressiveness, disease progression, and patient prognosis. By integrating microbiome analysis, proteomics, experimental oncology, and bioinformatics, this review seeks to discover novel molecular pathways that link the female microbiome to cancer treatment outcomes. More and more studies show a link between the microbiome of the female reproductive tract and gut and the development the treatment of cancers. This article reviews some of these findings.