Onkológia 4/2011

Possibility of applying probiotics in oncology

Probiotics are live microorganisms, which in the form of drugs or food supplements contribute to maintaining health-enhancing microbiological balance in the digestive tract of human or other host (1). Their effect is closely related to natural function of the intestinal flora. Their application is associated with good tolerance and minimal risk. They could be well applied in therapy and especially in the prevention of many civilisation disorders, which include a significant proportion of the cancer diseases. We could think not only about their role in the actual prevention of these diseases, but also about their status as a complementary therapy for their potential use in the treatment of complications caused by aggressivity of the existing basic treatment and maybe also another essential use in the future. Obstacle for the possibility to their wider application in oncology is still a lack of experiences in these patients, mainly with regard to evoking the iatrogenic infection. The main assumption of their wider application is the availability of safe strains with proven clinical efficiency.

Keywords: probiotics, oncology, therapy, prevention.