Colon cancer represents a major public health burden in the world due to its frequency and high mortality rate. The composition of the intestinal microbiota is considered as an important risk factor in the development of colorectal cancer. Interactions between diet, microbiota and host are crucial for maintaining homeostasis and understanding how these complex interactions can influence the development of carcinogenesis, which is crucial for management and prevention of colon cancer. Probiotics are well-known as being able to positively modulate the composition of microbiota. According to conducted studies probiotics have shown promising anticarcinogenic properties. Possible anticarcinogenic mechanisms include modification of the intestinal microbiota, changes in metabolic activity of the microbiota, binding and degradation of carcinogenic compounds present in the intestinal lumen, effects on intestinal permeability, immunomodulation and regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis. Although several advanced medical procedures exist, survival rates of patients that had undergo treatment are still poor with many adverse treatments associated side effects such as diarrhea, constipation, flatulence, bacteremia, urinary tract infection and others. Probiotics have been shown to be effective in preventing them, especially diarrhea, known as the most unpleasant side effect. Hence, they hold great potential as anticarcinogenic therapists for colon cancer prevention and treatment.
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