The distinctive gut microbiome profile of a person with liver cancer linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) could be the key to predicting someone’s risk of developing the cancer, say researchers from the UNSW Microbiome Research Centre (MRC).
The distinctive gut microbiome profile of a person with liver cancer linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) could be the key to predicting someone’s risk of developing the cancer, say researchers from the UNSW Microbiome Research Centre (MRC).
Their new study, published in Nature Communications recently, found the gut microbiome – the kingdom of microorganisms living in our digestive tracts – can modulate the immune response in liver cancer patients with NAFLD, in a way that promotes the cancer’s survival.
While the research is still in its early stages, this finding could lead to more effective preventative and therapeutic treatments for people at risk of developing NAFLD-related liver cancer.
People develop NAFLD in the context of obesity and metabolic risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol.
Read more: University of New South Wales
