Fiber2026-08

Impact of Dietary Fiber Intake on the Immunological Response to Immunotherapy in Cancer Patients: A Scoping Review.

Sousa Michele Edmila Silva, de Almeida Valéria Duarte, da Silva Júnior Roque Ribeiro, de Fernandes Thales Allyrio Araújo Medeiros et al. — Cancer medicine

Summary

このレビューは、がん患者が免疫療法を受けている際に、食物繊維の摂取が治療効果にどう影響するかを調べたものです。食物繊維の摂取量が多いと、治療反応が改善し、免疫機能に重要な腸内細菌に良い変化が見られる可能性が示唆されました。ただし、様々な種類のがんや治療法において、これらの結果を確定するにはさらなる研究が必要です。

AI-generated summary — read the original

Key points

Dietary fiber might help improve the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy.
This potential benefit may be linked to positive changes in gut bacteria.
Most of the current evidence comes from studies on melanoma patients.
More research is needed to fully understand and confirm these findings.

What the study looked at

This review aimed to understand if and how the amount of dietary fiber cancer patients consume might affect their immune system's response to immunotherapy treatments. Immunotherapy helps the body's own immune system fight cancer, and scientists are exploring factors that can make it more effective. Researchers conducted a "scoping review," which is a type of study that systematically searches and summarizes existing research on a broad topic. They looked for original studies involving cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy, specifically those that evaluated dietary fiber intake and its link to immune response, gut bacteria, or treatment outcomes. After reviewing hundreds of records, they identified three relevant studies. In the few studies available, the review found that higher dietary fiber intake was associated with better responses to immunotherapy. It also suggested that fiber might achieve this by positively influencing the gut microbiota (the community of bacteria in the intestines), which is known to play a role in immune function. The studies primarily focused on patients with melanoma receiving a specific type of immunotherapy.

Dietary takeaway

While this review suggests a potential link between higher fiber intake and better immunotherapy outcomes, it's important to remember that this is based on a small number of studies, mainly in melanoma patients. For general health, incorporating more fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes into your daily diet is generally recommended, but cancer patients should always discuss dietary changes with their healthcare team. One study or review is not definitive, and more research is needed to confirm these findings.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Immunotherapy has emerged as a major therapeutic strategy for cancer, and accumulating evidence indicates that the gut microbiota influences its effectiveness, highlighting the potential role of dietary fiber. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the scientific evidence regarding the relationship between dietary fiber intake, immune modulation, and the response to immunotherapy in patients with cancer. METHODOLOGY: An integrative review was conducted using the MEDLINE, BVS, and EMBASE databases with the descriptors "Neoplasms," "Dietary Fiber," and "Immunomodulation." Original studies involving patients with cancer undergoing immunotherapy that evaluated dietary fiber intake through habitual diet, dietary intervention, or supplementation, as well as its association with immune response, gut microbiota, or clinical outcomes were included. RESULTS: A total of 325 records were identified, of which three studies met the inclusion criteria. DISCUSSION: Higher dietary fiber intake was associated with improved therapeutic responses and favorable changes in the gut microbiota. The included studies involved patients with melanoma receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors, predominantly anti-PD-1 therapy. CONCLUSION: Dietary fiber plays a relevant role in gut microbiota modulation and may enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy.

View on PubMed →DOI: 10.1002/cam4.72108