Introduction: Gastrointestinal cancers contribute to a significant number of cancer- associated mortality. The gastrointestinal tract harbors a multitude of microorganisms, known as the microbiota. Recently, the microbiota is considered to be an accessory organ resulting in several health benefits. The microbiota is involved in almost all aspects of an individual ranging from managing behavior to controlling metabolism, immune status and the response to a disease. Researchers are observing the modulation of microbiota in almost every disease, including cancer. Probiotics are microorganisms that can help to alter the host microbiota toward a healthy state thus providing benefits from many diseases including cancer.
Areas covered: We explored the current status of the use of probiotics in cancer patients. Although probiotic bacteria can provide significant benefits to individuals suffering from cancer, the number of cancer-specific clinical products containing probiotics is not comparable to research studies showing their benefits. The lack of available products is due to several factors including a lack of risk assessment data of beneficial probiotics in cancer patients.
Expert opinion: Laboratory investigations indicate a huge potential of probiotics for the prevention and management of gastrointestinal cancer, but more clinical studies are required to support their application in clinical settings.
Keywords: Cancer; cancer management; microbiota; probiotics.