Gut-immune connection could boost immunotherapy effectiveness in recurrent ovarian cancer

By Free Republic | Created at 2024-12-19 22:12:27 | Updated at 2025-01-01 17:02:25 1 week ago

Gut-immune connection could boost immunotherapy effectiveness in recurrent ovarian cancer
Medical Xpress / Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center / Nature Communications ^ | Dec. 13, 2024 | Spencer R. Rosario et al

Posted on 12/19/2024 1:52:21 PM PST by ConservativeMind

A study provides new insight into the complex interactions of the "tumor-immune-gut axis," and its role in influencing immunotherapy responses in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer.

The findings emphasize the role of the patient's microbiome—the collection of microorganisms in the body—and lay the groundwork for future clinical trials aimed at improving treatment outcomes.

That goal is critical, because epithelial ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer and primary peritoneal cancer—all categorized under the umbrella of ovarian cancer—are the deadliest gynecological malignancies, with a five-year survival rate of less than 50%.

Most deaths occur as a result of disease that is refractory, or resistant to treatment. Patients who have recurrent ovarian cancer—especially those whose disease is resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy, the standard-of-care treatment—currently have no curative treatment options.

The clinical trial enrolled 40 patients with recurrent ovarian cancer and demonstrated that a combination of the immunotherapy pembrolizumab (Keytruda), the targeted drug bevacizumab (Avastin), and the chemotherapy cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan) achieved significant outcomes:

—95% of patients experienced a complete or partial response or stable disease.

—Time to disease progression was significantly extended.

—Patients maintained a high quality of life.

Based on these results, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) revised its ovarian cancer guidelines to recommend the combination as a second-line therapy for treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer that does not respond to platinum-based treatments.

Dr. Zsiros and her colleagues took the results a step further in the current study to determine why some of the clinical trial participants achieved an extended clinical benefit while others experienced a limited benefit.

The team identified specific bacterial species that were present before and after treatment in patients who responded well to therapy. That information suggests that it might be possible to strengthen the immune response to therapy by altering the microbiome with probiotics, antibiotics or fecal transplants.

(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...

TOPICS: Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: cancer; gitract; ovary

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The bacteria that were shown to be helpful for those who had success were all gut bacteria that produced butyrate, with one seemingly producing propionate.

Folks, these bacteria grow from us eating soluble fibers. I would encourage everyone to look at keto breads and bagels with high soluble fiber and low carbs, along with other options through foods.

Men need 38 grams of fiber a day and women need 28 grams. After 50, men can get 30 grams and be okay, from fiber recommendations.

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2 posted on 12/19/2024 1:53:06 PM PST by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)

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