SYST-08 ROLE OF THE MICROBIOME IN BRAIN TUMORS

A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the potential role of the microbiome in brain tumors. The study included 50 patients with histologically confirmed brain tumors and 50 healthy controls matched for age and gender. Fecal samples were collected from all participants and analyzed for bacterial composition using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The results showed significant differences in the composition of the microbiome between the brain tumor patients and healthy controls. Specifically, patients with brain tumors had a higher abundance of certain bacterial species, including Fusobacterium and Porphyromonas, compared to the healthy controls. These bacterial species have previously been associated with inflammation and have been implicated in the development and progression of various types of cancer. Furthermore, the study investigated the potential interaction between the microbiome and the immune system in the context of brain tumors. Analysis of immune cell subsets in peripheral blood samples revealed differences between the brain tumor patients and healthy controls, with the tumor patients showing a lower proportion of CD8+ T cells and a higher proportion of regulatory T cells. Interestingly, there was also a correlation between the abundance of certain bacterial species and the proportion of immune cells, suggesting a potential role for the microbiome in modulating immune function in brain tumors. These findings suggest that the microbiome may play a role in the development and progression of brain tumors. Further studies are needed to investigate the mechanisms underlying this association and to determine whether interventions targeting the microbiome could have therapeutic benefit in brain tumors.