Vitorino Marina, Alpuim Costa Diogo, Vicente Rodrigo, Caleça Telma, Santos Catarina
Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Professor Doutor Fernando Fonseca, 2720-276 Amadora, Portugal.
Breast Cancer Unit, CUF Oncologia, 1998-018 Lisbon, Portugal.
Cancers (Basel). 2022 Aug 5;14(15):3811. doi: 10.3390/cancers14153811.
The tumour microenvironment (TME) comprises a complex ecosystem of different cell types, including immune cells, cells of the vasculature and lymphatic system, cancer-associated fibroblasts, pericytes, and adipocytes. Cancer proliferation, invasion, metastasis, drug resistance and immune escape are all influenced by the dynamic interaction between cancer cells and TME. Microbes, such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, archaea and protists, found within tumour tissues, constitute the intratumour microbiota, which is tumour type-specific and distinct among patients with different clinical outcomes. Growing evidence reveals a significant relevance of local microbiota in the colon, liver, breast, lung, oral cavity and pancreas carcinogenesis. Moreover, there is a growing interest in the tumour immune microenvironment (TIME) pointed out in several cross-sectional studies on the correlation between microbiota and TME. It is now known that microorganisms have the capacity to change the density and function of anticancer and suppressive immune cells, enabling the promotion of an inflammatory environment. As immunotherapy (such as immune checkpoint inhibitors) is becoming a promising therapy using TIME as a therapeutic target, the analysis and comprehension of local microbiota and its modulating strategies can help improve cancer treatments.
肿瘤微环境（TME）由不同细胞类型组成的复杂生态系统构成，包括免疫细胞、血管和淋巴系统细胞、癌症相关成纤维细胞、周细胞和脂肪细胞。癌细胞与TME之间的动态相互作用会影响癌症的增殖、侵袭、转移、耐药性和免疫逃逸。肿瘤组织中发现的微生物，如细菌、真菌、病毒、古菌和原生生物，构成了肿瘤内微生物群，它具有肿瘤类型特异性，且在具有不同临床结果的患者中有所不同。越来越多的证据表明，结肠、肝脏、乳腺、肺、口腔和胰腺的局部微生物群与癌症发生密切相关。此外，在几项关于微生物群与TME相关性的横断面研究中，人们对肿瘤免疫微环境（TIME）的兴趣日益浓厚。现在已知微生物有能力改变抗癌和抑制性免疫细胞的密度和功能，从而促进炎症环境的形成。由于免疫疗法（如免疫检查点抑制剂）正成为一种以TIME为治疗靶点的有前景的疗法，对局部微生物群及其调节策略的分析和理解有助于改善癌症治疗。
