A recent cancer research study has revealed that specific gut bacteria might play a role in how well a patient’s immune system can combat mesothelioma, a particularly aggressive cancer type.
A recent cancer research study has revealed that specific gut bacteria might play a role in how well a patient’s immune system can combat mesothelioma, an especially aggressive form of cancer.
This discovery has led scientists to believe that adjustments in diet could potentially enhance treatment effectiveness in the future. The findings were recently released in Nature Communications.
For the last two decades, Professor Dean Fennell, a specialist in Thoracic Oncology at the University of Leicester and a fellow at the academy of medical sciences, has been at the forefront of advancing treatments for mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma is a lethal form of cancer that arises in the membranes surrounding the lungs or abdomen, primarily caused by exposure to asbestos, which has been banned for many years.
Though it is relatively uncommon, mesothelioma has severe consequences and currently lacks a cure, with treatments aimed at prolonging survival and enhancing life quality.
The focus of this investigation, which received support from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Leicester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and Asthma + Lung UK, has been on creating personalized treatment options for patients experiencing relapsed mesothelioma. This research aims to ascertain which patients would benefit most from various drug therapies by analyzing the genetic characteristics of their cancer.
In the latest publication from Professor Fennell’s ‘MIST’ trials, printed in Nature Communications this month, the research team assessed how effective two immunotherapies—atezolizumab and bevacizumab—are in patients with relapsed mesothelioma.
Professor Fennell commented: “We’ve observed that the immunotherapies we applied in this study, utilizing immune checkpoint blockade, can significantly control mesothelioma in some patients.
“The diverse community of bacteria living in our intestines has recently been identified as a crucial factor affecting the body’s response to immunotherapy.
“We aimed to determine how factors, both internal and external to the cancer itself, influence a patient’s response to immunotherapy.
“To achieve this, we sequenced the genetic material of the gut bacteria from participants in this study to identify any correlation with their reaction to treatment.”
A total of 26 patients with relapsed mesothelioma participated, with an average age of 68 and receiving an average of 4.5 rounds of immunotherapy. Their disease control rate was evaluated after 12 weeks.
The study found that patients were more likely to respond positively if there were higher levels of anti-cancer immune cells present in their mesothelioma, which correlated with the presence or absence of certain gut bacteria, specifically Provetella, the eubacterium ventriosum group, and biophilia.
Professor Fennell concluded, “Our research underscores the emerging idea that factors beyond the cancer itself, such as the bacteria residing in our gut, can significantly influence the success of immunotherapy.
“A crucial takeaway from our findings is that modifying the gut microbiome could potentially enhance the likelihood of benefiting from immunotherapy. For instance, patients could consider specific dietary adjustments, such as increasing fiber intake.
“We will continue to investigate this area, seeking further evidence from other MIST trials that have recently concluded patient recruitment. We’re eager to see the future directions of this research.”
Dr. Samantha Walker, the Director of Research and Innovation at Asthma + Lung UK, remarked: “With mesothelioma treatments advancing at a snail’s pace for several decades and existing therapies showing limited effectiveness, these findings offer genuine hope for the thousands impacted by mesothelioma. It’s astonishing to learn that something as simple as dietary choices could potentially enhance a patient’s response to immunotherapy.
“Results like these highlight the critical need for funding research. In the UK, someone dies from a lung condition every five minutes. Many others live in fear, struggling to breathe every day, yet research into lung health remains drastically underfunded. At Asthma + Lung UK, we are advocating for more transformative and life-saving research to reshape the future for those facing breathing challenges.”
