Intake of Pro- and/or Prebiotics as a Promising Approach for Prevention and Treatment of Colorectal Cancer

BackgroundColorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common type of cancer, posing a serious threat to human life. It is widely believed that dietary factors may be crucial modifiers of CRC risk, with pro-and/or prebiotics being especially promising. ScopeIn this review, a synthesis of CRC prevention and treatment of strategies relying on usage of pro- and/or prebiotics supplements is given, as well as discuss mechanisms underlying the contribution of pro-and/or prebiotics to the suppression of colonic carcinogenesis. Furthermore, a framework for personalizing such supplements according to the composition of an individual's gut microbiome is suggested. ConclusionsVarious factors including diversity of one's intestinal microflora, integrity of their intestinal barrier, and the presence of mutagenic/carcinogenic/genotoxic and beneficial compounds are known to have a prominent influence on the development of CRC; thus, clarifying the role of pro- and/or prebiotics will yield valuable insight toward optimizing interventions for enhanced patient outcomes in the future.