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Review
. 2025 Aug 25:16:1612567.
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1612567. eCollection 2025.

Nutritional status, immunonutrition, and gut microbiome: a coming of age for immunotherapy?

Elisa Mattavelli  1 , Francesco Agustoni  2   3 , Alice Tartara  1 , Francesca De Simeis  1 , Lorenzo Perrone  3 , Riccardo Caccialanza  1 , Paolo Pedrazzoli  2   3 , Valentina Da Prat  1
Affiliations
Review

Nutritional status, immunonutrition, and gut microbiome: a coming of age for immunotherapy?

Elisa Mattavelli et al. Front Immunol. .

Abstract

In the last decades, immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment. Despite its success, a significant number of patients fail to respond, and the underlying causes of ineffectiveness remain poorly understood. Factors such as nutritional status and body composition are emerging as key predictors of immunotherapy outcomes. In particular, poor nutritional status, sarcopenia, and low skeletal muscle mass are associated with poorer survival and immunotherapy response in several cancers. Conversely, certain parameters of body composition, such as adiposity, may have beneficial effects on immunotherapy efficacy. Nutritional status and body composition can be targeted through tailored nutritional support, making it a potential strategy to improve immunotherapy outcomes. Specific nutrients and modulation of the gut microbiota may further enhance immune functions, offering promising avenues for clinical improvement. Despite the promising potential of tailored nutritional support, clinical evidence remains limited, and further research is needed to establish optimal strategies to optimize immunotherapy response and effectiveness.

Keywords: body composition; gut microbiome; immunonutrition; immunotherapy; nutritional status; treatment response and efficacy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Nutritional aspects related to immunotherapy outcomes and efficacy.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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