PhD Defence Lars Eric Hillege

Keywords: Gut microbiome, Cancer treatment, Breast cancer, Colorectal cancer 
 

"The gut microbiome in breast and colorectal cancer: First steps towards microbiome-targeted interventions"

This PhD research explores how gut bacteria, belonging to the gut microbiome, are linked to breast and colorectal cancer, and how cancer treatments affect these bacteria. The goal was to better understand how the gut microbiome influences treatment outcomes and whether targeting gut bacteria could help improve therapies and reduce side effects. The studies found that chemotherapy and anti-hormonal treatments, such as tamoxifen, can change the balance of gut bacteria. Some of these changes may be related to treatment side effects. In laboratory models, adding dietary fibers, also called prebiotics, helped restore beneficial bacteria during chemotherapy. The research also included a review of studies on a group of enzymes in the gut that can reactivate harmful forms of chemotherapy drugs. These findings suggest that blocking these enzymes might protect patients. Overall, this PhD research highlights the potential of using gut-targeted strategies, such as prebiotics, to make cancer treatments more effective and improve patient outcomes. 

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