The Gut Microbiome: A New Player in Breast Cancer Metastasis.

Abstract

There is increasing interest in the role of the gut microbiome in health and disease, and a number of observational and <i>in vitro</i> studies have suggested it may play a role in breast cancer development and progression. Buchta Rosean and colleagues present the first functional evidence that a preexisting disturbance in the gut microbiome leads to increased breast cancer cell metastasis in a mouse model. This discovery places the gut microbiome as a new player in breast cancer metastasis; however, further studies are required to determine the relevance of the findings in this mouse model to human disease. A better understanding of the relationship between the bacterial ecosystem of the gut and progression of breast cancer has enormous potential for improving treatment outcomes for patients with breast cancer.<i>See related article by Buchta Rosean et al., p. 3662</i>.