Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
OMICS. 2022 Apr;26(4):236-245. doi: 10.1089/omi.2022.0002. Epub 2022 Feb 25.
Malnutrition is a common complication in children with cancer. Cancer treatment and malnutrition can disrupt gut microbiome diversity and composition. The gut microbiome is of broad interest to better understand the mechanisms of malnutrition in cancer therapy. This study aimed to compare the gut microbiome between children with solid tumors postchemotherapy and healthy controls, and investigated the association of the putative microbiome differences with diet. Study participants were 27 children (7-18 years) with solid tumors within the first year after the completion of chemotherapy and 22 healthy controls. The study groups did not have a statistically significant difference in age, race, sex, and body mass index. At study intake, the participants completed the Block Kids Food Screener for dietary intakes in the past week. Fecal specimens were collected and analyzed for the gut microbiome. The cancer and control groups differed in gut microbial β-diversity and abundance analyses. The macronutrient intakes such as carbohydrates, fiber, beta-carotene, and vitamin B6 were positively associated with α-diversity. Children with adequate vitamin B6 had a higher Chao1 diversity index than children with inadequate or excessive intake ( = 0.0004). Children with excessive selenium intake had a trend for higher Pielou's_e index than children with inadequate intake ( = 0.091). Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome is critical among children with cancer. This study provides new insights on the linkages between dietary intakes and the gut microbiome in children with solid tumors postchemotherapy. These findings, if replicated in future independent studies, may help anticipate malnutrition and plan for personalized nutrition approaches during chemotherapy in pediatric cancers.
营养不良是癌症儿童的常见并发症。癌症治疗和营养不良会破坏肠道微生物组的多样性和组成。肠道微生物组引起了广泛关注，以更好地了解癌症治疗中营养不良的机制。本研究旨在比较化疗后实体瘤儿童和健康对照者的肠道微生物组，并研究潜在的微生物组差异与饮食的关系。研究参与者为 27 名（7-18 岁）化疗后第一年患有实体瘤的儿童和 22 名健康对照者。研究组在年龄、种族、性别和体重指数方面无统计学差异。在研究入组时，参与者完成了过去一周饮食摄入的 Block Kids 食物筛查器。收集粪便标本进行肠道微生物组分析。癌症组和对照组在肠道微生物 β 多样性和丰度分析上存在差异。宏量营养素摄入，如碳水化合物、纤维、β-胡萝卜素和维生素 B6 与 α 多样性呈正相关。维生素 B6 摄入充足的儿童比摄入不足或过量的儿童具有更高的 Chao1 多样性指数（=0.0004）。硒摄入过量的儿童比硒摄入不足的儿童具有更高的 Pielou's_e 指数趋势（=0.091）。保持健康的肠道微生物组对于癌症儿童至关重要。本研究为化疗后实体瘤儿童饮食摄入与肠道微生物组之间的联系提供了新的见解。如果在未来的独立研究中得到复制，这些发现可能有助于预测儿童癌症化疗期间的营养不良，并计划个性化营养方法。
