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ChemoBrain, Cardiotoxicity and Gut Microbiota
How are chemobrain, cardiotoxicity, and gut microbiota, aka gut health, connected? Below is more evidence of the benefits of myeloma patients enhancing their gut health.
I am a long-term survivor of an incurable blood cancer called multiple myeloma. I underwent induction therapy from 2/95-9/95 and had an autologous stem cell transplant in December of that year.
- I developed chemobrain shortly after my ASCT,
- and developed chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy in early 2010
So when a study is published that discusses the studies that cite gut health as a possible therapy for reducing these two specific side effects, I write about it.
What are the specific benefits of a healthy gut microbiome for the myeloma patient undergoing chemotherapy?
🔬 1. Enhanced Chemotherapy Efficacy
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Butyrate-producing bacteria (e.g., Faecalibacterium prausnitzii) are associated with better responses to immunomodulatory drugs like lenalidomide and pomalidomide.
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Gut microbiota may modulate drug metabolism, improving the bioavailability and action of certain chemotherapeutics.
Example: Higher microbial diversity correlates with improved progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in myeloma patients receiving chemotherapy and/or stem cell transplant.
🛡️ 2. Improved Immune Function and Anti-Tumor Immunity
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A balanced microbiome helps maintain T-cell homeostasis and supports antitumor immune surveillance, particularly important during chemotherapy-induced immunosuppression.
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SCFAs (short-chain fatty acids) like butyrate and acetate support regulatory T-cell expansion and mucosal immunity, reducing infections and inflammation.
💊 3. Reduced Chemotherapy Toxicity
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Healthy microbiota can:
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Prevent mucositis by reinforcing gut epithelial integrity.
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Modulate systemic inflammation, lowering levels of IL-6 and TNF-α (which can worsen fatigue, neuropathy, and cachexia).
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Reduce gastrointestinal toxicity, e.g., diarrhea and nausea.
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Patients with dysbiosis show a higher rate of GI toxicity and are more prone to chemotherapy dose reductions or delays.
🔁 4. Faster Recovery of Hematopoiesis Post-Chemotherapy
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Following chemotherapy or stem cell transplant, the gut microbiota influences:
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Bone marrow recovery by affecting IL-22, G-CSF, and other regenerative pathways.
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Engraftment speed post-ASCT (autologous stem cell transplant).
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Evidence from transplant cohorts suggests that patients with greater gut microbiome diversity at neutrophil engraftment have better long-term outcomes.
🦠 5. Lower Risk of Infections
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A diverse microbiome:
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Resists colonization by pathogens like Clostridioides difficile, E. coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae.
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Supports mucosal immunity, critical for reducing bloodstream infections and sepsis.
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📉 6. Lower Risk of Treatment-Associated Inflammation and Senescence
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Chemotherapy induces gut barrier disruption, allowing endotoxins like LPS to enter circulation and trigger systemic inflammation.
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Healthy gut microbiota help:
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Prevent leaky gut syndrome.
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Suppress pro-inflammatory cytokines that promote myeloma progression and cellular senescence.
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Key Studies Supporting These Claims:
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Taur et al., 2014 (Science Translational Medicine): Gut microbiota diversity post-transplant strongly predicted survival.
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Davar et al., 2021 (Science): Modulating microbiota improved immunotherapy outcomes in cancer.
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Pianko et al., 2019 (Blood Advances): Myeloma patients with higher microbial diversity had lower transplant-related mortality and fewer infections.
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Shono et al., 2016 (Biol Blood Marrow Transplant): Antibiotics that deplete commensal gut bacteria worsened outcomes post-ASCT.
🧬 How to Support a Healthy Microbiome During Chemotherapy
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Prebiotics (e.g., inulin, resistant starches)
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Probiotics (strain-specific, cautiously used in neutropenic patients)
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Polyphenol-rich foods (e.g., blueberries, green tea)
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Avoid unnecessary antibiotics
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Dietary fiber: ≥25–30g/day to encourage SCFA production
Email me at David.PeopleBeatingCancer@gmail.com to learn more about managing myeloma with both conventional and non-conventional therapies.
Good luck,
David Emerson
- MM Survivor
- MM Cancer Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
Exploring the Potential Role of the Gut Microbiome in Chemotherapy-Induced Neurocognitive Disorders and Cardiovascular Toxicity
“Increasing evidence suggests the emerging role of the microbiome in chemotherapy-induced late effects affecting cognitive functions and the cardiovascular system.
Moreover, existing data from animal models and patients with neurocognitive disorders and cardiovascular diseases outline the possibility that microbiota modulation might potentially prevent or mitigate the psycho-physiological deficits following chemotherapy and help to improve the behavioral comorbidities, cognitive functions, and quality of life in cancer survivors…
Nowadays, there is no doubt about the devastating effects of chemotherapy on microbial diversity, leading to acute dysbiosis and severe gastrointestinal toxicities [28,29]. In addition, some recent data link the altered microbiome composition to the late effects of treatment in cancer survivors [30,31,32], and several clinical trials regarding this issue have been already completed or are still ongoing (Table 1)…
Other works show a 1.5- to 5.7-fold increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients treated with chemotherapy compared to those treated with orchiectomy only [41,42,43]. Treatment with chemotherapy and additional radiotherapy led to a significant increase in risk of cardiovascular disease after a median of 21 years of follow-up (HR = 5.3; 95% CI: 1.5–18.5) [44]…
A healthy gut microbiota composition is characterized by a broad microbial diversity and high colonization resistance. Cancer treatment with common chemotherapeutic drugs results in gut dysbiosis accompanied by a decrease in commensal microbes as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus and an increase in opportunistic pathogens such as Clostridium difficile [71].
Treatment-induced mucosal barrier disruption leads to a
- massive proinflammatory immune response,
- gastrointestinal toxicity [72],
- and bacterial translocation,
- followed by the development of severe bacteremia [73].
Goubet et al. described a disrupted gut barrier integrity and perturbed intestinal homeostasis after the treatment with DNA-alkylating agent cyclophosphamide (CY) [74]…
In addition, the results showed the association between chemotherapy and gastrointestinal mucositis and also the chemotherapy-related functional imbalances in the gut microbial community, resulting in reduced capacity for nucleotide, energy, and vitamin metabolism [76].
Gastrointestinal mucositis, characterized by painful inflammation and the ulceration of the mucous membranes lining the digestive tract represents very frequent toxicity during chemo- and radiotherapy that is responsible for nonspecific symptoms such as
- nausea,
- vomiting,
- abdominal pain,
- and diarrhea [77].
chemobrain cardiotoxicity, and gut microbiota chemobrain cardiotoxicity and gut microbiota