Microbial allies and enemies: How the skin microbiome influences skin cancer

Abstract

The microbiota is a population of bacteria that inhabit the human body, whereas the microbiome is the set of genes they encode. The microbiota can affect skin cancer risk and treatment response. Cancer is defined as uncontrolled or abnormal cell proliferation. The pathogenesis of skin cancer is multifactorial which includes disruption of the skin barrier, the immune system, metabolites and toxins from microbes, and ultraviolet radiation. The microbiome is an important component of the tumor microenvironments, both in the skin and gut. Microbial dysbiosis is associated with chronic inflammation which may further mediate carcinogenesis. The polymorphic microbiome is consider one of the enabling characteristics of the hallmarks of cancer. Abnormal skin microbiota will produce cytokines and chemokines that contribute to tumor growth. Various microbiota has tumorigenesis effects such as Staphylococcus aureus, beta-HPV, Corynebacterium, and Fusobacterium, but there are also protective microbiota namely Cutibacterium, Malassezia, and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Studies showed that the presence of microbiome polymorphic variability between individuals has a profound impact on cancer phenotypes