Journal of International Reproductive Health/Family Planning ›› 2019, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (4): 345-348.

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Gut Microbiome and Endometrial Cancer

WANG Yu-shan,MA Xiao-xin   

  1. Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University,Shenyang 110004,China
  • Received:2019-01-28 Revised:2019-04-22 Published:2019-07-15 Online:2019-07-15

Abstract: The intestinal flora (gut microbiome) perform many of the physiological functions required for host, such as the protection against invading pathogen, regulation of metabolism and development, maintain the homeostasis of immunity and the nervous system. Although the gut microbiome was influenced by age, diet, physical activity, hormonal cycles, antibiotics and radiotherapy, it is practically stable in healthy adults. In recent years, studies showed that many changes in the composition of gut microbiome were connected with the development of malignant tumor and other diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, hypertension, polycystic ovary syndrome, obesity, diabetes, colorectal cancer, breast cancer and so on. It has been reported that endometrial cancer is associated with polycystic ovary syndrome, obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, high estrogen level and age, while the destruction of gut microbiome homeostasis promotes the development of obesity, hypertension, polycystic ovary syndrome and high estrogen level. Therefore, there is a potential relationship between gut microbiome and endometrial cancer. In this review, we briefly summarize those studies on the gut microbiome in patients with endometrial cancer and discuss the possible mechanisms of tumorigenesis, so as to provide a reference for the future study on the diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic strategies of endometrial cancer.

Key words: Bacteria, Gastrointestinal tract, Endometrial neoplasms, Obesity, Estrogens