<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Breast cancer (BC) and benign breast lesions (BBLs) are common diseases in women worldwide. The gut microbiota plays a vital role in regulating breast diseases’ formation, progression, and therapy response. Hence, we explored the structure and function of gut microflora in patients with BC and BBLs. A cohort of 66 subjects was enrolled in the study. Twenty-six subjects had BC, 20 subjects had BBLs, and 20 matched healthy controls. High throughput 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene sequencing technology was used to determine the microbial community structure. Compared with healthy individuals, BC patients had significantly lower alpha diversity indices (Sobs index, <italic>p</italic> = 0.019; Chao1 index, <italic>p</italic> = 0.033). Sobs and Chao1 indices were also lower in patients with BBLs than healthy individuals, without statistical significance (<italic>p</italic> = 0.279, <italic>p</italic> = 0.314, respectively). Both unweighted and weighted UniFrac analysis showed that beta diversity differed significantly among the three groups (<italic>p</italic> = 3.376e–14, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001, respectively). Compared with healthy individuals, the levels of <italic>Porphyromonas</italic> and <italic>Peptoniphilus</italic> were higher in BC patients (<italic>p</italic> = 0.004, <italic>p</italic> = 0.007, respectively), whereas <italic>Escherichia</italic> and <italic>Lactobacillus</italic> were more enriched in the benign breast lesion group (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001, <italic>p</italic> = 0.011, respectively). Our study indicates that patients with BC and BBLs may undergo significant changes in intestinal microbiota. These findings can help elucidate the role of intestinal flora in BC and BBLs patients.</p>
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</abstract>

Breast cancer (BC) and benign breast lesions (BBLs) are common diseases in women worldwide. The gut microbiota plays a vital role in regulating breast diseases’ formation, progression, and therapy response. Hence, we explored the structure and function of gut microflora in patients with BC and BBLs. A cohort of 66 subjects was enrolled in the study. Twenty-six subjects had BC, 20 subjects had BBLs, and 20 matched healthy controls. High throughput 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene sequencing technology was used to determine the microbial community structure. Compared with healthy individuals, BC patients had significantly lower alpha diversity indices (Sobs index, p = 0.019; Chao1 index, p = 0.033). Sobs and Chao1 indices were also lower in patients with BBLs than healthy individuals, without statistical significance (p = 0.279, p = 0.314, respectively). Both unweighted and weighted UniFrac analysis showed that beta diversity differed significantly among the three groups (p = 3.376e–14, p < 0.001, respectively). Compared with healthy individuals, the levels of Porphyromonas and Peptoniphilus were higher in BC patients (p = 0.004, p = 0.007, respectively), whereas Escherichia and Lactobacillus were more enriched in the benign breast lesion group (p < 0.001, p = 0.011, respectively). Our study indicates that patients with BC and BBLs may undergo significant changes in intestinal microbiota. These findings can help elucidate the role of intestinal flora in BC and BBLs patients.

Analysis of Gut Microbiota in Patients with Breast Cancer and Benign Breast Lesions

Polish Journal of Microbiology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Breast cancer (BC) and benign breast lesions (BBLs) are common diseases in women worldwide. The gut microbiota plays a vital role in regulating breast...

Analysis of Gut Microbiota in Patients with Breast Cancer and Benign Breast Lesions

Article Category: Original Paper

Published Online: May 31, 2022

Page range: 217 - 226

Received: Nov 04, 2021

Accepted: Mar 21, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33073/pjm-2022-019

Keywords
gut microbiota, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, breast cancer, benign breast lesions

© 2022 Zhijun Ma et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Analysis of Gut Microbiota in Patients with Breast Cancer and Benign Breast Lesions

Article Category: Original Paper

Published Online: May 31, 2022

Page range: 217 - 226

Received: Nov 04, 2021

Accepted: Mar 21, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33073/pjm-2022-019

Keywordsgut microbiota, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, breast cancer, benign breast lesions

© 2022 Zhijun Ma et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
gut microbiota, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, breast cancer, benign breast lesions