Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 Jan-Dec:20:15347354211061733.
doi: 10.1177/15347354211061733.

The Use of Prebiotic and Probiotic Interventions for Treating Gastrointestinal and Psychosocial Health Symptoms in Cancer Patients and Survivors: A Systematic Review

Julie M Deleemans  1 , Zen Gajtani  1 , Mohamad Baydoun  1 , Raylene A Reimer  1 , Katherine-Ann Piedalue  1 , Linda E Carlson  1
Affiliations

The Use of Prebiotic and Probiotic Interventions for Treating Gastrointestinal and Psychosocial Health Symptoms in Cancer Patients and Survivors: A Systematic Review

Julie M Deleemans et al. Integr Cancer Ther. 2021 Jan-Dec.

Abstract

Background: Cancer treatments can cause significant gastrointestinal (GI) health issues, and negatively affect patient's psychosocial health and quality of life (QOL). Novel, integrative strategies using prebiotics and probiotics have been explored for treating adverse cancer treatment-related side effects. We evaluated the current literature for interventions using prebiotics or probiotics specifically to treat GI and psychosocial health issues in cancer patients and survivors.

Methods: Five databases (PubMed, MEDLINE (Ovid), CINHAL, PsychINFO, Web of Science) were searched for studies with prebiotic or probiotic interventions where GI and/or psychosocial health outcomes were measured in adult cancer patients and survivors, and published before September 12th 2021.

Results: Twelve studies (N = 974 participants) meeting the inclusion criteria were identified (randomized controlled trials [n = 10], single-group pre-post studies [n = 2]). Ten studies were conducted with patients on active cancer treatment, and 2 studies treated patients after anti-cancer therapies. Three studies used prebiotics, 7 studies used probiotics, and 2 studies used a combination therapy. The most commonly used probiotic strains were from the Lactobacillus genus. There was minimal evidence for prebiotics to improve GI or psychosocial health. Probiotics were associated with significant improvements in abdominal pain (n = 2), gas/bloating (n = 2), and especially diarrhea (n = 5), and with improvements in anxiety (n = 1), depression (n = 1), fatigue (n = 1), and QOL (n = 2).

Conclusions: Studies specifically examining effects of prebiotics and probiotics on GI and psychosocial health outcomes are scarce. Probiotic intervention may improve some GI symptoms in cancer patients, and QOL in survivors. Controlled trials that consistently include GI and psychosocial health outcomes are needed.

Keywords: gastrointestinal; gut microbiota; prebiotics; probiotics; psychosocial health; quality of life.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
PRISMA process for data extraction.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Summary of effects of probiotics on GI and psychosocial symptoms.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Zitvogel L, Daillère R, Roberti MP, Routy B, Kroemer G. Anticancer effects of the microbiome and its products. Nat Rev Microbiol. 2017;15:465-478. - PubMed
    1. Levy M, Kolodziejczyk AA, Thaiss CA, Elinav E. Dysbiosis and the immune system. Nat Rev Immunol. 2017;17:219-232. - PubMed
    1. Cryan JF, O'Riordan KJ, Sandhu K, Peterson V, Dinan TG. The gut microbiome in neurological disorders. Lancet Neurol. 2020;19:179-194. - PubMed
    1. Sung H, Ferlay J, Siegel RL, et al.. Global cancer statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA Cancer J Clin. 2021;71:209-249. - PubMed
    1. Asher A. Cognitive dysfunction among cancer survivors. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2011;90:S16-S26. - PubMed

Publication types