Objective:

To review the effects of intratumoral microbes on immune cell types within the tumor microenvironment (TME) and their implications for cancer outcomes and treatment efficacy, highlighting the significance of the intratumoral microbiome.

Key Findings:

• The intratumoral microbiome constitutes a significant yet underexplored component of the TME, with implications for treatment strategies.
• Dysbiosis of the intratumoral microbiome is associated with worse cancer prognosis, affecting immune response and treatment efficacy.
• Current TME classification models often overlook the role of the intratumoral microbiome, limiting their predictive power.

Interpretation:

Emerging evidence suggests that the intratumoral microbiome plays a critical role in shaping the TME and influencing therapeutic responses, indicating a need for further research in this area.

Limitations:

• The integration of the intratumoral microbiome into existing TME classification systems is lacking, presenting a gap in current research.
• Current studies primarily focus on immune components, leaving the microbiome underexplored, suggesting a need for more comprehensive studies.

Conclusion:

Incorporating the analysis of the intratumoral microbiome into TME subtyping could enhance the understanding of cancer treatment responses and improve clinical outcomes.