Oncologists believe they have figured out why some cancer medications are
ineffective. The gut microbiota may hold the key to the problem’s solution.
ineffective. The gut microbiota may hold the key to the problem’s solution.
Some individuals’ responses to immunotherapy, a novel approach to treating
cancer, may depend on the specific mix of bacteria and other microbes in
their gut microbiome. Immunotherapy is more successful in patients with a
particular gut flora than in those without.
Even more surprising, researchers think that increasing the microbiome’s
health by feeding patients a fiber-rich diet of fruits, vegetables, beans,
nuts, and whole grains may improve the treatment’s chances of success in
cancer patients.