Future Challenges in Probiotics-based Anticancer Immunotherapy

Abstract

Anticancer immunotherapy is a promising approach to the treatment of cancer. Probiotics have been introduced as a potential candidate to contribute to the success of the anticancer immunotherapy approach. However, current and future challenges in probiotics-based anticancer immunotherapy should be addressed to allow better utilization and understanding of the limitations of the use of probiotics in such an approach. This chapter highlights the safety issues related to probiotics use in human subjects, such as adverse effects, bacteremia and risk-benefits analysis. It also briefly discusses the status of the use of probiotics in human clinical trials to assess the therapeutic effects of probiotics in the anticancer immunotherapy approach. More human clinical trials are needed and should follow the principles of Good Clinical Practice (GCP), with methodologies and end-points, useful to define outcomes by considering their physiological and clinical meaning. Challenges related to the properties of different probiotic species, their viability, and their strain-specific therapeutic effects have been highlighted. It also spotlights the contemporary state of personalized treatment for cancer patients using selected probiotic strains individually and/or in combination. Careful consideration should be given to these issues in the use of probiotic supplements in anticancer immunotherapy in clinical practice in the future.