Special Issue Information

Ageing represents the single most significant risk factor for the development of most cancers. This increased susceptibility is underpinned by profound molecular and physiological shifts within the host, including age-associated alterations in gene expression and epigenetic landscapes that impact critical biological processes such as immune regulation, extracellular matrix organization, and angiogenesis. Broader changes within the tissue microenvironment across the lifespan exert a profound influence on carcinogenesis as well as therapeutics.

Concurrently, the human gut microbiota undergoes profound compositional and functional shifts throughout the lifespan, a phenomenon termed microbial ageing or dysbiosis. This Special Issue, “Gut Microbiota in Ageing-Related Cancer Development”, focuses on the compelling and rapidly evolving hypothesis that age-associated alterations in the gut microbiome are not merely bystanders but active contributors to the heightened cancer susceptibility observed in older populations.

The gut microbiome exerts a profound influence on host physiology, impacting immune function, metabolism, inflammation, and epithelial barrier integrity – all processes intrinsically linked to both ageing (“inflammaging”, immunosenescence) and carcinogenesis. Mounting evidence suggests that age-related dysbiosis can disrupt these critical pathways, potentially fostering a pro-tumorigenic microenvironment. This may occur through mechanisms such as the production of genotoxins or oncometabolites, modulation of chronic inflammation, impairment of anti-tumor immunity, alteration of host metabolic pathways influencing cancer cell growth, and interference with the efficacy and toxicity of cancer therapies.

Despite significant progress, critical knowledge gaps persist. How do specific age-driven microbial changes mechanistically initiate or promote cancer in different tissues? What are the bidirectional relationships between host ageing pathways (e.g., senescence, DNA repair decline) and microbial ecology? Can the gut microbiome serve as a biomarker for age-related cancer risk or progression? Most importantly, can modulating the ageing gut microbiome – through dietary interventions, pre/probiotics, postbiotics, or faecal microbiota transplantation – offer novel strategies for cancer prevention or improve therapeutic outcomes in older adults?

This Special Issue of ACRT aims to collate cutting-edge original research, insightful reviews, and perspective articles that illuminate the complex interplay between the gut microbiome, the ageing process, and cancer development. We invite contributions exploring microbial signatures, underlying molecular mechanisms, translational studies, and intervention strategies targeting the gut microbiome to mitigate age-related cancer risk or improve management. By fostering interdisciplinary dialogue, this Issue seeks to accelerate our understanding of this critical triad and pave the way for novel approaches to combatting cancer in our ageing global population.

Contact Us