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Torres et al. J Cancer Metastasis Treat 2018;4:4 Journal of Cancer
DOI: 10.20517/2394-4722.2017.49 Metastasis and Treatment

Review Open Access

Bacteria in cancer therapy: beyond
immunostimulation

Wheeler Torres , Víctor Lameda , Luis Carlos Olivar , Carla Navarro , Jorge Fuenmayor , Adrián Pérez ,
1
1
1
1
1
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Andres Mindiola , Milagros Rojas , María Sofía Martínez , Manuel Velasco , Joselyn Rojas , Valmore
3
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1,4
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Bermudez 1,5
1 Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, the University of Zulia, Maracaibo 4001, Venezuela.
2 Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), Miami 33125, FL, USA.
3 Department of Pharmacology, “JM Vargas” Medical School, Central University of Venezuela, Caracas 1050, Venezuela.
4 Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston 02115, MA, USA.
5 Advanced Frontier Studies Research Group (ALEF), Simón Bolívar University, Cúcuta 540006, Colombia.
Correspondence to: Dr. María Sofía Martínez, Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, the University of Zulia,
Maracaibo 4001, Venezuela. E-mail: mmartinez@fmed.luz.edu.ve
How to cite this article: Torres W, Lameda V, Olivar LC, Navarro C, Fuenmayor J, Pérez A, Mindiola A, Rojas M, Martínez MS,
Velasco M, Rojas J, Bermudez V. Bacteria in cancer therapy: beyond immunostimulation. J Cancer Metastasis Treat 2018;4:4.
http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2394-4722.2017.49
Received: 17 Jul 2017 Fisrt Decision: 23 Aug 2017 Revised: 7 Sep 2017 Accepted: 1 Dec 2017 Published: 24 Jan 2018
Science Editor: Lucio Miele Copy Editor: Lu Liu Production Editor: Cai-Hong Wang
Abstract
Currently, conventional therapies in cancer are improving; chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery have increased survival
significantly. New therapies have arisen with the same goal; immunotherapy has appeared as a promising option in the
fight against cancer stimulating the immune system by inducing innate and adaptive responses. These responses include
release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, making the immune system capable to eliminate or protect against multiple
tumors. Nowadays, many of these therapies are being used in clinical settings, such as checkpoint inhibitors, monoclonal
anti cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTL-4) and programmed death protein 1 (PD1), with inspiring results;
however, they may decrease immunotolerance, limiting their use. At the same time, chemotherapy works by passive
transport across the cell membrane, limiting its capacity to penetrate in tumor cells. For these reasons, bacteria employment
represents one of the best candidates for cancer treatment. They can surpass these barriers with their selective colonization
which also has an oncolytic effect by increasing proliferation and immunostimulation in the tumor environment. Attenuated
strains, such as Mycobacterium bovis, Clostridium, Salmonella typhimirium and Listeria monocytogenes have been studied
showing promising results in experimental models. However, their application in clinical trials has shown the need to
maximize their therapeutic effect. Genetic engineering and synthetic biology are necessary to prove the scope that this
novel approach has against cancer due to implications of cancer therapy and public health.

Keywords: Bacterium, cancer, selective colonization, salmonella, clostridium, listeria

© The Author(s) 2018. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
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