THE human body is occupied by trillions of microorganisms, acquired at birth and maintained throughout our lifetime. Though we are mostly oblivious to this microbiome, it forms an intimate and essential part of our being. It is involved in many vital biological processes such as nutrition, the immune system and even mental health. Now evidence is mounting that the microbiome plays a role in cancer too.
In the past five years a comprehensive catalogue of the microorganisms living on and in the different surfaces and cavities of our bodies has been created – a sort of "getting to know your neighbours". This has revealed that the microbiome is a diverse community of more than 1500 species, with the vast majority residing in the intestine. We are just beginning to discover how these microbes influence the development and treatment of cancer.
The first evidence that "friendly" gut bacteria ...
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