A Gutsy Combination: The Microbiome and Immuno-oncology

MICROBES TAKE CENTER STAGE

With a growing body of pre-clinical and clinical research, the influence of bacteria on human health and disease has emerged from the shadows and into the limelight. The collection of non-human cells living within the gut, skin, and other tissues (collectively referred to as “microbiota” or the “microbiome”), has a profound influence on maintaining normal physiologic function (homeostasis). Disruption of this balance (“dysbiosis”) can influence the development and progression of pathologic disease states such as cancer and autoimmunity.