Intestinal and esophageal microbiota in esophageal cancer development and treatment

Abstract

Esophageal cancer (EC) is the eleventh most commonly diagnosed cancer, and its prognosis remains poor. Several challenges remain for improving the clinical outcomes of EC, and improving technologies for early detection, diversifying treatment options, and advancing personalized treatment are essential. Alterations in the intestinal and esophageal microbiota are associated with the pathogenesis and progression of EC; for instance, Fusobacterium nucleatum is important in the pathogenesis and progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Therefore, a novel diagnostic biomarker may be identified using the intestinal microbiota. Furthermore, targeting the intestinal and esophageal microbiota may help in the early detection of EC, use of a novel prognostic biomarker, and even the detection of a therapeutic target, resulting in a more individualized therapeutic approach for EC. In this review, we summarize the clinical research focused on the intestinal and esophageal microbiota in EC development and its treatment, and discuss the challenges in the clinical application of intestinal and esophageal microbiota.

Keywords: Gut microbiota; esophageal adenocarcinoma; esophageal cancer; esophageal microbiota; esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; intestinal microbiota.

Graphical abstract

Figure 1.

The bacterial genera reported to be more or less abundant in the intestinal microbiota of fecal samples from patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma compared to healthy subjects.

Figure 2.

The bacterial genera reported to be more or less abundant in the esophageal microbiota of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma compared to nontumor tissues or healthy subjects.