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C. Fred Hutch Magazine: Microbiome: The microbiome is the community of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microorganisms that inhabit our gut, our mouths, our eyes, our sex organs and virtually every square inch of our skin. We each harbor a unique population of about 40 trillion microbes, which mostly set up camp in the first few years of our lives The human colon alone houses as much as four pounds of gut bugs, a diversified microbial workforce that helps our body break down the food we ingest into fuel sources for colon cells, vitamins and biologically active compounds that may either promote or block cancers. They also appear to provide a chorus of chemical chatter that influences our immune system in ways that can help or harm us.
Researchers are also examining how the mix of microbial communities inside us may be tied to obesity, heart disease, mental health and how we respond to treatments for cancer. Mouse studies suggest that chemotherapy can be less effective against tumors if antibiotic treatments have destroyed or disrupted the balance of gut microbes. And microbial communities help regulate our immune system, which has important implications for new therapies that harness immune defenses to fight cancer.
