Context
A 2025 meta-analysis published in BMC Gastroenterology evaluated eight randomized controlled trials involving 633 colorectal cancer patients receiving chemoradiotherapy.
The study found that probiotic supplementation significantly reduced treatment-induced diarrhea (RR = 0.51) and also improved pain, dyspnea, and insomnia scores compared to control groups though effects on fatigue, appetite, and quality of life were not statistically significant.
Insight
What’s fascinating is how probiotics appear to interact with both the gut–immune axis and the NF-κB signaling pathway, indirectly shaping patient resilience to therapy.
Even though these interventions don’t yet replace standard supportive care, their biological potential to stabilize gut microbiota and attenuate inflammation is increasingly evident.
Scientific Significance
This meta-analysis reinforces the view that gut microbiome modulation could become a valuable adjunct to cancer therapy.
Future trials should clarify which strains, doses, and treatment durations offer the most consistent protection during chemoradiotherapy.
Source
📄 Yang R. et al., “Evaluation of the efficacy of probiotics in the chemoradiotherapy of colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis of RCTs,”
BMC Gastroenterology (2025) 25:312
🔗 Read the full article → https://doi.org/10.1186/s12876-025-03914-y
