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Microbiome

Using gut microorganisms to treat cancer

Nature Medicine volume 29, pages 1910–1911 (2023)Cite this article

Strategies to monitor and modulate gut microorganisms to improve immunity and responses to cancer immunotherapy are increasingly available, with opportunities to expand and iterate on these approaches to treat, intercept and prevent cancer (and other diseases) altogether.

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Fig. 1: A new era of microbiome interventions for patients with cancer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Y. David Seo & Jennifer A. Wargo

  2. Platform for Innovative Microbiome and Translational Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Nadim Ajami

  3. Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Jennifer A. Wargo

Authors
  1. Y. David Seo
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  2. Nadim Ajami
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  3. Jennifer A. Wargo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jennifer A. Wargo.

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Competing interests

A.W. is an inventor of a US patent application (PCT/US17/53.717) submitted by the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, which covers methods to enhance immune checkpoint blockade responses by modulating the microbiome; reports compensation for the speaker’s bureau and honoraria from Imedex, Dava Oncology, Omniprex, Illumina, Gilead, PeerView, Physician Education Resource, MedImmune, Exelixis and Bristol Myers Squibb; and has served as a consultant or advisory board member for Roche/Genentech, Novartis, AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Bristol Myers Squibb, Micronoma, OSE therapeutics, Merck and Everimmune. J.A.W. receives stock options from Micronoma and OSE therapeutics.

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Seo, Y.D., Ajami, N. & Wargo, J.A. Using gut microorganisms to treat cancer. Nat Med 29, 1910–1911 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02460-y

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