An Update on the Effectiveness of Probiotics in the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer
Vidya Sankarapandian,
Balu Alagar Venmathi Maran,
Ramya Lakshmi Rajendran,
Manasi P. Jogalekar,
Sridharan Gurunagarajan,
Rajapandiyan Krishnamoorthy,
Prakash Gangadaran,
Byeong-Cheol Ahn
Affiliations
Vidya Sankarapandian
Department of Microbiology, Srimad Andavan Arts and Science College, Bharathidasan University, Trichy 620005, India
Balu Alagar Venmathi Maran
Borneo Marine Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Malaysia
Ramya Lakshmi Rajendran
Department of Nuclear Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41944, Korea
Manasi P. Jogalekar
Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
Sridharan Gurunagarajan
Department of Biochemistry, Srimad Andavan Arts and Science College, Bharathidasan University, Trichy 620005, India
Rajapandiyan Krishnamoorthy
Nanobiotechnology and Molecular Biology Research Lab, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 4545, Saudi Arabia
Prakash Gangadaran
Department of Nuclear Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41944, Korea
Byeong-Cheol Ahn
Department of Nuclear Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41944, Korea
Probiotics are living microbes that play a significant role in protecting the host in various ways. Gut microbiota is one of the key players in maintaining homeostasis. Cancer is considered one of the most significant causes of death worldwide. Although cancer treatment has received much attention in recent years, the number of people suffering from neoplastic syndrome continues to increase. Despite notable improvements in the field of cancer therapy, tackling cancer has been challenging due to the multiple properties of cancer cells and their ability to evade the immune system. Probiotics alter the immunological and cellular responses by enhancing the epithelial barrier and stimulating the production of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticarcinogenic compounds, thereby reducing cancer burden and growth. The present review focuses on the various mechanisms underlying the role of probiotics in the prevention and treatment of cancer.
