Bladder cancer-associated microbiota: Recent advances and future perspectives

Wentao Zhang; Fuhan Yang; Shiyu Mao; Ruiliang Wang; Haotian Chen; Yuefei Ran; Shenghua Liu; Pengfei Wu; Yang Yan; Wei Li; Junfeng Zhang; Xudong Yao

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13012

Bladder cancer-associated microbiota: Recent advances and future perspectives

Heliyon. 2023 Jan 16;9(1):e13012. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13012. eCollection 2023 Jan.

Authors

Wentao Zhang^{1

2}, Fuhan Yang^{1

2}, Shiyu Mao^{1

2}, Ruiliang Wang^{1

2}, Haotian Chen^{1

2}, Yuefei Ran^{1

2

3}, Shenghua Liu^{1

2}, Pengfei Wu^{1

2}, Yang Yan^{1

2}, Wei Li^{1

2}, Junfeng Zhang^{1

2}, Xudong Yao^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Urology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
² Urologic Cancer Institute, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
³ Shanghai Clinical College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.

Abstract

Recent evidence suggests that the human genitourinary microbiome plays a significant role in mediating the development and progression of urological tumors, including bladder cancer (BC). Clinicians widely recognize the role of Bacille Calmette Guérin (BCG), an attenuated Mycobacterium tuberculosis vaccine, in the management of intermediate- and high-risk NMIBC. However, compared to the large body of evidence on the gut microbiota and gastrointestinal tumors, limited information is available about the interaction between BC and the genitourinary microbiome. This is an expanding field that merits further investigation. Urologists will need to consider the potential impact of the microbiome in BC diagnosis, prevention of recurrence and progression, and treatment prospects in the future. This review highlights the approaches adopted for microbiome research and the findings and inadequacies of current research on BC.

Keywords: Bladder cancer; Microbiota; Prognosis; Recurrence; Therapeutics.

Publication types

Review