Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40035906›Full record

ArticleAnnals of surgical oncology2025

The Relationship Between Gut Microbiome Bifidobacterium and Anti-tumor Immune Responses in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Haolin Wang, Yoshifumi Baba, Yoshihiro Hara, Tasuku Toihata, Keisuke Kosumi, Kazuto Harada, Masaaki Iwatsuki, Yuji Miyamoto, Hideo Baba

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Annals of surgical oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Haolin WangDepartment of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
Yoshifumi BabaDepartment of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan. y-baba@kumamoto-u.ac.jp.
Yoshihiro HaraDepartment of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
Tasuku ToihataDepartment of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
Keisuke KosumiDepartment of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
Kazuto HaradaDepartment of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
Masaaki IwatsukiDepartment of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
Yuji MiyamotoDepartment of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
Hideo BabaDepartment of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.

Funding

Japan Society for the Promotion of Science 17H04273Japan Society for the Promotion of Science 17K19702Japan Society for the Promotion of Science 17KK0195
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe Bifidobacterium genus is a prominent bacterial population in the gastrointestinal tract. Previous findings suggest that Bifidobacterium is linked to tumor suppression in mouse models of melanoma. Additionally, when combined with the programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibody, it can enhance anti-tumor treatment by increasing tumor-specific T-cell responses and promoting infiltration of antigen-specific T cells into tumors. However, there is a lack of studies on Bifidobacterium in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). This study aimed to investigate the potential impact of Bifidobacterium on this cancer type.

methodsWe examined 213 samples from ESCC patients who underwent tumor resection. The presence of Bifidobacterium was confirmed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Patient overall survival (OS) was analyzed with Bifidobacterium positivity. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) were evaluated via hematoxylin and eosin stains, and immunohistochemistry was used to assess programmed death-1 (PD-1), PD-L1, cluster of differentiation 8 (CD8), and forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) expression. Nutritional status was evaluated via computed tomography scans.

resultsBifidobacterium positivity showed no correlation with patient OS or TIL levels; however, Bifidobacterium positivity in normal tissue was associated with lower FOXP3 levels, suggesting a potential role in upregulating anti-tumor immune responses. Patients with Bifidobacterium present in peritumor normal tissue exhibited better skeletal muscle area and volume. Conversely, Bifidobacterium positivity in tumor tissue was associated with poorer prognostic nutrition index values, likely due to decreased albumin levels.

conclusionBifidobacterium can induce the upregulated anti-tumor immune response and is more prevalent in cases with good nutritional status.

Indexed as

BifidobacteriumEsophageal NeoplasmsEsophageal Squamous Cell CarcinomaGastrointestinal MicrobiomeLymphocytes, Tumor-InfiltratingAgedB7-H1 AntigenFemaleFollow-Up StudiesForkhead Transcription FactorsHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisProgrammed Cell Death 1 ReceptorSurvival RateB7-H1 AntigenCD274 protein, humanForkhead Transcription FactorsFOXP3 protein, humanPDCD1 protein, humanProgrammed Cell Death 1 ReceptorAnti-tumor responsesBifidobacteriumEsophageal squamous cell carcinomaGut microbiomeNutritional status

Identifiers

PMID40035906
PMCPMC11976794

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.