A New Treatment Landscape for RCC: Association of the Human Microbiome with Improved Outcomes in RCC

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a highly vascularized and immunogenic tumor, and its treatment has been revolutionized by the development of immune-checkpoint inhibitors. However, the clinical benefit of these agents is limited in patients with metastatic disease. The microbiome has emerged a novel therapeutic target in recent years and has shown promising values. Understanding the microbiome of the tumor microenvironment is essential for the treatment of RCC. ABSTRACT: Microbes play different roles in metabolism, local or systemic inflammation, and immunity, and the human microbiome in tumor microenvironment (TME) is important for modulating the response to immunotherapy in cancer patients. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is an immunogenic tumor, and immunotherapy is the backbone of its treatment. Correlations between the microbiome and responsiveness to immune checkpoint inhibitors have been reported. This review summarizes the recent therapeutic strategies for RCC and the effects of TME on the systemic therapy of RCC. The current understanding and advances in microbiome research and the relationship between the microbiome and the response to immunotherapy for RCC are also discussed. Improving our understanding of the role of the microbiome in RCC treatment will facilitate the development of microbiome targeting therapies to modify the tumor microbiome and improve treatment outcomes.