Scientists are discovering that beneficial bacteria called probiotics, and special chemicals these bacteria produce (microbiome-derived metabolites), could potentially combat cancer in novel ways. Instead of only maintaining general gut well-being, these probiotics are actually capable of influencing how a cancer grows, how effectively it can be treated, and even decreasing the harmful side effects of chemotherapy and radiation.
These helpful microbes function by strengthening the immune system, pushing out disease-causing bacteria, hardening the gut lining, and producing tiny but powerful chemicals that are capable of slowing down cancer growth, causing cancer cells to die, and remodeling the tumor environment to make it less supportive of disease.
Probiotics may also help new forms of cancer therapy, including immunotherapy, to become more potent. Scientists currently use sophisticated “multi-omics” technology to unravel exactly how the bacteria and their byproducts fight cancer—i.e., examining genes, proteins, and chemicals in minute detail to figure out which strains and compounds work best. By unlocking these mechanisms, scientists are working toward creating precise, personalized probiotic therapies tailored to each patient’s specific needs.
While the results are promising, there are still hurdles to the use of probiotics in cancer treatment. Everyone has a unique gut microbiome, certain strains of bacteria affect people in different ways, and more clinical trials need to be done to determine what actually works. Scientists are calling for standardized research, deeper exploration, and tailored approaches to move from wide-spectrum supplements to smart, microbiome-specific treatments against cancer.
Overall, the research suggests that probiotics and their by-products will not just be a “nice extra” for gut health—but in the future could be part of cancer prevention and treatment that is integrated, sustainable, and precision-guided.
Full text: Zahrasadat Seyyedi, Hamed Haddad Kashani, Atefeh Parchebafi, Romina Ghayoumi, Mohammad Mehdi Haghighat Lari, Elahe Seyed Hosseini, Integrating probiotics and microbiome-derived metabolites into cancer therapy: mechanistic insights, multi-omics strategies, and clinical potential, Current Research in Biotechnology, Volume 10, 2025, 100340, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crbiot.2025.100340.