The EACR’s Top 10 Cancer Research Publications is a regular summary of the most interesting and impactful recent papers in cancer research. It is curated by the Board of the European Association for Cancer Research (EACR).
The list below appears in no particular order, and the summary information has been provided by the authors.
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Pernigoni, Zagato, Calcinotto et al. Science, Volume 374 | Issue 6564 8 October 2021
Summary of the findings
Despite significant therapeutic advances, prostate cancer is a leading cause of male cancer mortality, with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) remaining fatal. Androgens influence the growth of prostate tumor cells, and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the standard of care for advanced prostate cancer. The microbiota comprises the organisms that live in close contact with the host, with mutual benefit for both counterparts. In this Science paper, Pernigoni et al. investigated the role of the gut microbiota and its association with the emergence of endocrine-resistance in prostate cancer. They discovered that ADT in mice and prostate cancer patients selects a peculiar “unfavorable” microbiota. In brief, “unfavorable” bacteria over abundant in ADT-resistant individuals can produce androgens forms starting from precursors. These microbes-derived androgens (DHEA and Testosterone) are absorbed into the systemic circulation and promote the development of castration- and endocrine therapy-resistant states. These results suggest that the microbiota can hinder the efficacy of prostate cancer standard of therapy.
Future impact of the findings
Current therapies for CRPC therapy are not elusive, so finding new treatments that delay or revert CRPC remains an urgent and unmet clinical need. Given the pivotal role of microbiota in prostate cancer, it is now fundamental to leverage thinking of novel therapeutics targeting gut microbiota in prostate cancer patients. Pre-, pro-, post-biotics, and antibiotics treatments that can target the gut microbiota shifting its composition from an “unfavorable” to a “favorable” composition may have tremendously beneficial effects in delaying or reverting CRPC, also increasing therapy responsiveness.
