Microbiota Modulation of Radiosensitiveness and Toxicity in Gastrointestinal Cancers: What Radiation Oncologists Need to Know—A Review on Behalf of the Italian Association of Radiobiology (AIRB)
The impact of the microbiota on radiation (RT)-induced toxicity and cancer response to radiotherapy is an emerging area of interest. In this review, we summarize the available preclinical and clinical evidence concerning microbiota modulation of RT toxicity and efficacy in the main gastrointestinal...
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2025-04-01
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| author | Marco Lorenzo Bonù Andrea Georgopulos Marco Ramera Jacopo Andreuccetti Andrea Emanuele Guerini Anna Maria Bozzola Vittorio Morelli Jacopo Balduzzi Mirsada Katica Mariateresa Cefaratti Lorenzo Granello Luca Triggiani Michela Buglione Stefano Maria Magrini Francesco Marampon Michele Mondini Silvana Parisi Giorgia Timon Luisa Bellu Maria Rescigno Stefano Arcangeli Marta Scorsetti |
| author_facet | Marco Lorenzo Bonù Andrea Georgopulos Marco Ramera Jacopo Andreuccetti Andrea Emanuele Guerini Anna Maria Bozzola Vittorio Morelli Jacopo Balduzzi Mirsada Katica Mariateresa Cefaratti Lorenzo Granello Luca Triggiani Michela Buglione Stefano Maria Magrini Francesco Marampon Michele Mondini Silvana Parisi Giorgia Timon Luisa Bellu Maria Rescigno Stefano Arcangeli Marta Scorsetti |
| author_sort | Marco Lorenzo Bonù |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The impact of the microbiota on radiation (RT)-induced toxicity and cancer response to radiotherapy is an emerging area of interest. In this review, we summarize the available preclinical and clinical evidence concerning microbiota modulation of RT toxicity and efficacy in the main gastrointestinal (GI) districts. A huge amount of data supports the clinical application of microbiota modulation, particularly through prebiotics and probiotics, to prevent or mitigate radiotherapy-induced toxicity in rectal cancer. Preclinical and clinical studies also support the observation of microbiota modulation to impact the toxicity and efficacy of treatment in esophageal cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and anal squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC). However, insufficient evidence remains to endorse microbiota modulation as a strategy to enhance tumor radiosensitivity in clinical practice. Well-designed studies focusing on prebiotics, probiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation are needed across all GI sites to evaluate their potential to improve treatment efficacy, as suggested by promising preclinical findings. The impact of pre-treatment microbiota analyses should be addressed in prospective studies to verify the efficacy of patient-level tailored strategies. Additionally, the repurposing of radioprotective agents with innovative delivery systems, such as encapsulated amifostine, holds significant promise for mitigating small bowel toxicity, thereby enabling more effective RT treatment. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6d80eb66429c4bbb8f6b0161a7d7c9dc |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1467-3037 1467-3045 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Current Issues in Molecular Biology |
| spelling | doaj-art-6d80eb66429c4bbb8f6b0161a7d7c9dc2025-08-20T02:28:19ZengMDPI AGCurrent Issues in Molecular Biology1467-30371467-30452025-04-0147426510.3390/cimb47040265Microbiota Modulation of Radiosensitiveness and Toxicity in Gastrointestinal Cancers: What Radiation Oncologists Need to Know—A Review on Behalf of the Italian Association of Radiobiology (AIRB)Marco Lorenzo Bonù0Andrea Georgopulos1Marco Ramera2Jacopo Andreuccetti3Andrea Emanuele Guerini4Anna Maria Bozzola5Vittorio Morelli6Jacopo Balduzzi7Mirsada Katica8Mariateresa Cefaratti9Lorenzo Granello10Luca Triggiani11Michela Buglione12Stefano Maria Magrini13Francesco Marampon14Michele Mondini15Silvana Parisi16Giorgia Timon17Luisa Bellu18Maria Rescigno19Stefano Arcangeli20Marta Scorsetti21Department of Radiation Oncology, Istituto del Radio O. Alberti, Spedali Civili Hospital, 25123 Brescia, ItalyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Spedali Civili Hospital and Brescia University, 25123 Brescia, ItalyDepartment of Surgery, Spedali Civili Hospital and Brescia University, 25123 Brescia, ItalyDepartment of Surgery, Spedali Civili Hospital, 25123 Brescia, ItalyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Spedali Civili Hospital and Brescia University, 25123 Brescia, ItalyDepartment of Pathology, Spedali Civili Hospital, 25123 Brescia, ItalyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Spedali Civili Hospital and Brescia University, 25123 Brescia, ItalyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Spedali Civili Hospital and Brescia University, 25123 Brescia, ItalyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Spedali Civili Hospital and Brescia University, 25123 Brescia, ItalyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Spedali Civili Hospital and Brescia University, 25123 Brescia, ItalyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Spedali Civili Hospital and Brescia University, 25123 Brescia, ItalyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Spedali Civili Hospital and Brescia University, 25123 Brescia, ItalyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Spedali Civili Hospital and Brescia University, 25123 Brescia, ItalyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Spedali Civili Hospital and Brescia University, 25123 Brescia, ItalyDepartment of Radiological Oncological and Pathological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, 94800 Villejuif, FranceRadiation Oncology Unit, Department of Biomedical, Dental Science and Morpological and Functional Images, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, ItalyIRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genoa, ItalyDepartment of Radiotherapy and Radiosurgery, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, 20089 Rozzano, ItalyIRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, 20089 Rozzano, ItalyRadiation Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo Dei Tintori, 20900 Monza, ItalyDepartment of Radiotherapy and Radiosurgery, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, 20089 Rozzano, ItalyThe impact of the microbiota on radiation (RT)-induced toxicity and cancer response to radiotherapy is an emerging area of interest. In this review, we summarize the available preclinical and clinical evidence concerning microbiota modulation of RT toxicity and efficacy in the main gastrointestinal (GI) districts. A huge amount of data supports the clinical application of microbiota modulation, particularly through prebiotics and probiotics, to prevent or mitigate radiotherapy-induced toxicity in rectal cancer. Preclinical and clinical studies also support the observation of microbiota modulation to impact the toxicity and efficacy of treatment in esophageal cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and anal squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC). However, insufficient evidence remains to endorse microbiota modulation as a strategy to enhance tumor radiosensitivity in clinical practice. Well-designed studies focusing on prebiotics, probiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation are needed across all GI sites to evaluate their potential to improve treatment efficacy, as suggested by promising preclinical findings. The impact of pre-treatment microbiota analyses should be addressed in prospective studies to verify the efficacy of patient-level tailored strategies. Additionally, the repurposing of radioprotective agents with innovative delivery systems, such as encapsulated amifostine, holds significant promise for mitigating small bowel toxicity, thereby enabling more effective RT treatment.https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/47/4/265radiotherapymicrobiotagut microbiotamodulation of toxicitymodulation of efficacy |
| spellingShingle | Marco Lorenzo Bonù Andrea Georgopulos Marco Ramera Jacopo Andreuccetti Andrea Emanuele Guerini Anna Maria Bozzola Vittorio Morelli Jacopo Balduzzi Mirsada Katica Mariateresa Cefaratti Lorenzo Granello Luca Triggiani Michela Buglione Stefano Maria Magrini Francesco Marampon Michele Mondini Silvana Parisi Giorgia Timon Luisa Bellu Maria Rescigno Stefano Arcangeli Marta Scorsetti Microbiota Modulation of Radiosensitiveness and Toxicity in Gastrointestinal Cancers: What Radiation Oncologists Need to Know—A Review on Behalf of the Italian Association of Radiobiology (AIRB) Current Issues in Molecular Biology radiotherapy microbiota gut microbiota modulation of toxicity modulation of efficacy |
| title | Microbiota Modulation of Radiosensitiveness and Toxicity in Gastrointestinal Cancers: What Radiation Oncologists Need to Know—A Review on Behalf of the Italian Association of Radiobiology (AIRB) |
| title_full | Microbiota Modulation of Radiosensitiveness and Toxicity in Gastrointestinal Cancers: What Radiation Oncologists Need to Know—A Review on Behalf of the Italian Association of Radiobiology (AIRB) |
| title_fullStr | Microbiota Modulation of Radiosensitiveness and Toxicity in Gastrointestinal Cancers: What Radiation Oncologists Need to Know—A Review on Behalf of the Italian Association of Radiobiology (AIRB) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Microbiota Modulation of Radiosensitiveness and Toxicity in Gastrointestinal Cancers: What Radiation Oncologists Need to Know—A Review on Behalf of the Italian Association of Radiobiology (AIRB) |
| title_short | Microbiota Modulation of Radiosensitiveness and Toxicity in Gastrointestinal Cancers: What Radiation Oncologists Need to Know—A Review on Behalf of the Italian Association of Radiobiology (AIRB) |
| title_sort | microbiota modulation of radiosensitiveness and toxicity in gastrointestinal cancers what radiation oncologists need to know a review on behalf of the italian association of radiobiology airb |
| topic | radiotherapy microbiota gut microbiota modulation of toxicity modulation of efficacy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/47/4/265 |
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