Claudia Gravaghi
Italian Medical Center, 58 South Molton St, London
Title: Probiotics, diet and cancer therapy: a promising synergistic approach
Biography
Biography: Claudia Gravaghi
Abstract
In the last decade, interactions between human microbiome and tumor have attracted much interest in trying to understand the characteristics of complex microbial communities, as well as their possible mechanisms through which they are involved in cancer prevention, carcinogenesis and anti-cancer therapy. Cancer patients can benefit from different types of therapeutic strategies. However, the toxicities associated with these therapies can cause dysbiosis, colitis and IBS symptoms, affecting the patient's quality of life and the response to therapy. Several studies identify a compositional and functional imbalance in the intestinal microbial community associated with GI mucositis induced by chemotherapy. Furthermore, signs of a previous dysbiosis may also occur due to the effect of gastric tumors on the digestive system, increasing the risk of systemic infections.
It is well known that there are several dietary interventions aimed to improve dysbiosis and IBS symptoms. In this contest, a dietary regime containing low glycaemic index foods, high in soluble fibre, adequate in protein, high in omega-3 containing foods (wild fish and low in omega-6 nuts), dairy free, red and cured meat free was effective in reducing or eliminating IBS symptoms, such as diarrhoea/constipation episodes, and bloating in 80% of the patients analysed (n=146, age18-64, 120 women, 26 men). The purpose of this study was to see if the same dietary regime, in combination with the administration of probiotics containing lactobacillus Ramnosus, applied to a small number of pancreatic cancer patients at the beginning of their first cycle of chemotherapy will improve the common gastrointestinal side effects to prevent weight loss and dysbiosis Preliminary results (patients n=10, age 40-75 without metastatic tumours) show that all the patients experience only short diarrheal episodes and tiredness in the two days after the chemotherapy but no further digestive symptoms in the following days or weight loss.