The Gut Microbiome in Ageing and Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer is mostly a disease of the seventh decade. The reasons for this are unclear. One suggestion is that changes in the Gut bacterial flora or microbiome may be associated.
This review looks at which bacteria become more common with age and which decrease. Using data from previously published material, it is clear that bacteria which increase inflammatory change become more common, and that bacteria which assist oestrogen metabolism decrease.
The overall complexity of the microbiome changes with age, with some loss of diversity. However, no correlation of ovarian risk to bacterial diversity has been shown.
Most women with ovarian cancer receive antibiotic therapy during chemo, this has been shown in mice to change the microbiome and decrease survival from ovarian cancer.
No definite association between ovarian cancer and the aged microbiome is known but the inflammatory changes and altered oestrogen metabolism may prove to be important factors in the late presentation.
