Probiotics as an Adjunct Approach to the Prevention and Treatment of Colon Cancer: A Review

One out of every six people in the world is suffering from cancer disease. The major causes of cancer are high consumption of tobacco, high body mass index, and alcoholic beverages with low intake of a healthy diet and limited physical activity. Colon cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related morbidity worldwide. In the past few years, probiotics have drawn a lot of interest as potential preventive and therapeutic anticancer agents. This literature review addressed both human and animal research that has explored the association between probiotics and colon cancer. Probiotic administration has remarkable potential for the prevention and treatment of colon cancer through various mechanisms such as inhibiting the growth of cancer cells via apoptosis, improving immune activity, restoring gut microbiota, improving intestinal barrier properties, synthesizing anticarcinogenic compounds, and degrading carcinogenic compounds. Therefore, probiotics emerge as an adjunct therapy, holding the potential to significantly reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.