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Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Research topic

Open research questions in Cancer Research and Treatments

47 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 152 Cancer Research and Treatments papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • The study highlights the challenges of characterizing the research landscape and knowledge base in a rapidly evolving field. The study notes the challenges of translating intratumoral microbiota research into clinical practice. The study emphasizes the need for rigorous and systematic approaches to bibliometric and visualization analyses.

    Global research trends and emerging frontiers of intratumoral microbiota in cancer immunotherapy: a bibliometric and visualization analysis · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in the understanding of the mechanisms by which Enterococcus modulates the immune system. It highlights the need for further research on the double-edged sword effect of Enterococcus on malignant tumor therapy.

    Enterococcus and cancer: from mechanistic insights to clinical translation · 2026 · DOI

  • The distinction between protumorigenic and antitumorigenic effects of Enterococcus depends on strain genotype, host immune status, and therapeutic intervention. The development of novel microbiome-based therapies is challenging due to the complexity of the gut microbiota. The double-edged sword effect of Enterococcus on malignant tumor therapy requires further research to fully understand.

    Enterococcus and cancer: from mechanistic insights to clinical translation · 2026 · DOI

  • Gut microbiota-derived metabolites have recently emerged as modulators of cancer immunometabolism, however, their role in PCa progression and immunotherapy is poorly understood.

    Lactobacillus plantarum-derived indole-3-lactic acid inhibits prostate cancer progression through ASF1B/ENO1 axis and remodels the tumor microenvironment to enhance anti-PD-1 therapy · 2026 · DOI

  • The findings of our investigation lay a foundation for further research into the roles of tumor microbe-derived metabolites in cancer.

    Genome Mining of the Tumor Microbiome Reveals Biosynthetic Diversity and Potential Tumor-modulating Metabolites · 2026 · DOI

  • The understanding of intratumoral microbiota is funda- mentally reshaping current views of gastrointestinal cancer biology. Tumor-associated microbes exhibit diverse origins, substantial inter-individual variability, and distinct organ- and tissue-specific distribution patterns. However, based on avail- able evidence, knowledge of intratumoral microbiota remains incomplete. This emerging field holds considerable promise but is also accompanied by significant challenges. Rational utilization of intratumoral microbiota may enable the devel- opment of new frameworks for early cancer diagnosis, multi- modal treatment strategies, and assessment of prognosis and therapeutic response, which represent central directions for future research. At present, many studies rely on relatively low-resolution detection approaches and limited sample sizes to character- ize disease-associated changes in intratumoral microbiota. As a result, conclusions drawn from such studies may not fully capture the true biological landscape. Future investigations should apply advanced technologies, including metagen- omic sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, and microbial in situ imaging, to achieve high-resolution and comprehensive profiling of intratumoral microbiota and the interactions with host cells in large-scale, multicenter cohorts. Many existing studies primarily describe associations between intratumoral microbiota composition and clini- cal phenotypes or outcomes, while underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Future work should integrate experimental models, such as organoids and xenograft sys- tems with germ-free animals, to mechanistically define how specific microbes or the components drive tumorigenesis, immune modulation or evasion, and therapy resistance. Such approaches will be essential for identifying concrete molecular mechanisms and actionable therapeutic targets. The ultimate objective is to develop precise and personal- ized therapies targeting intratumoral microbiota. With deeper functional insight into intratumoral microbial activity, a new generation of precision microecologic therapies may emerge. Potential strategies include engineered phages designed to selectively eliminate pro-carcinogenic bacteria, as well as bac- teria-drug combination therapies aimed at reversing treat- ment resistance through microbiota modulation. In addition, intratumoral microbiota shows promise as a biomarker for predicting therapeutic response and guiding patient stratifica- tion. Nevertheless, translation of these approaches into clini- cal practice will require high-quality prospective studies with larger cohorts and extended follow-up periods.

    Tumor-resident bacteria in gastrointestinal cancers: from regulatory mechanisms to clinical implications · 2026 · DOI

  • While the bacterial microbiome is a recognized modulator of the tumor microenvironment (TME), the non-bacterial oncobiome, comprising the mycobiome (fungi) and virome (viruses), represents a critical but under-explored frontier in cellular adaptability.

    The non-bacterial oncobiome: the role of the mycobiome and virome in tumor plasticity · 2026 · DOI

  • Results have remained inconsistent, possibly due to differences in metabolic adaptations across molecular breast cancer subtypes. Gene expression does not necessarily correlate directly to protein expression.

    L-arginine metabolism in breast cancer: mechanisms and therapeutic targets · 2026 · DOI

  • Current evidence remains limited by small studies, heterogeneous endpoints, and insufficient long-term follow-up. The evolution and timeline of major discoveries for living cancer therapeutics are not fully understood.

    Oncobiotics in urinary bladder cancer. A narrative review of living cancer therapeutics · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need for innovative therapeutic strategies to overcome the limitations of conventional cancer therapies. The current evidence on living cancer therapeutics in urinary bladder cancer is limited by small studies and heterogeneous endpoints.

    Oncobiotics in urinary bladder cancer. A narrative review of living cancer therapeutics · 2026 · DOI

  • Investigation of the mechanisms underlying the associations between microbial and metabolic changes and treatment response and toxicity - Development of personalized medicine approaches based on individual microbiome and metabolome profiles

    Fecal microbiome and metabolome dynamics during immunotherapy-based total neoadjuvant therapy in rectal cancer: associations with treatment response and toxicity · 2026 · DOI

  • Limited understanding of the dynamics of the fecal microbiome and metabolome during iTNT - Need for non-invasive biomarkers and functional clues for optimizing iTNT

    Fecal microbiome and metabolome dynamics during immunotherapy-based total neoadjuvant therapy in rectal cancer: associations with treatment response and toxicity · 2026 · DOI

  • Investigation of the mechanisms by which the microbiome regulates MHC-II expression in colon cancer cells. Development of novel therapies that target the microbiome to enhance anti-tumor immunity. Exploration of the applicability of the study's approach to other types of cancer.

    Microbial induction of MHC-II expression in colon cancer cells overcomes immunotherapy resistance and limits metastasis · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of understanding of the mechanisms that convert poorly inflamed tumors into lesions capable of supporting productive antitumor immunity. The need to identify novel approaches to sensitize microsatellite-stable colorectal cancer to immune checkpoint blockade immunotherapy.

    Microbial induction of MHC-II expression in colon cancer cells overcomes immunotherapy resistance and limits metastasis · 2026 · DOI

  • The prognosis and quality of life for patients with advanced disease remain suboptimal. Current treatment strategies have limitations, and new approaches are needed.

    Phytochemicals remodel antitumor immunity via the “microbiota–metabolite–receptor” axis: focus on colorectal cancer and immunotherapy · 2026 · DOI

  • The current treatment strategies for CRC have limitations, and new approaches are needed. The role of phytochemicals in remodeling antitumor immunity via the microbiota-metabolite-receptor axis is not fully understood.

    Phytochemicals remodel antitumor immunity via the “microbiota–metabolite–receptor” axis: focus on colorectal cancer and immunotherapy · 2026 · DOI

  • exploration of microbiota-directed interventions, - development of adoptive cell therapies based on innate immune cells, - investigation of the potential context-dependent roles of SOCS1.

    Gastrointestinal acute graft versus host disease: a translational perspective from pathogenesis to precision prevention and treatment · 2026 · DOI

  • The need for a better understanding of the effects of microbiome-derived metabolites on host physiology. The need for standardized methods for analyzing and interpreting microbiome data. The need for further research on the potential therapeutic applications of microbiome-derived metabolites.

    Microbiome-derived bioactive molecules regulate host signaling and therapeutic responses in cancer and metabolic diseases · 2026 · DOI

  • Mechanistic studies should connect tumor-intrinsic signaling to immune, stromal, metabolic, and stress-response programs. Biomarker development should progress from single-gene markers to multidimensional signatures. Emerging approaches to TME remodeling and precision treatment should be further developed.

    Editorial: Progress in molecular mechanisms and targeted therapies for solid tumor microenvironments · 2026 · DOI

  • The interactions between tumor-intrinsic alterations and stromal, immune, metabolic, and stress-response programs are not well understood. Prior work has focused on individual signaling pathways, but a more holistic approach is needed.

    Editorial: Progress in molecular mechanisms and targeted therapies for solid tumor microenvironments · 2026 · DOI

  • The evidence is not yet strong enough to support the sweeping claim that bacteria are stable and biologically decisive constituents across cancers in general. The study acknowledges that the data remain primarily associative and should be described at the threshold they actually reach.

    Intratumoral bacteria in cancer: from detection to biological relevance · 2026 · DOI

  • The effort to establish more effective cancer prevention and diagnosis methods is complicated by ethical and accessibility challenges. Sophisticated animal models are needed to provide more preclinical evidence.

    Intratumoural microbiota: a new frontier in cancer development and therapy · 2024 · DOI

  • Sophisticated animal models are needed to provide more preclinical evidence. Interdisciplinary approaches are necessary to quantitatively understand the relationship between microbes in tumours and tumour formation and development.

    Intratumoural microbiota: a new frontier in cancer development and therapy · 2024 · DOI

  • Doxazosin is known to inhibit cell migration and invasion in several cancer cell types; however, the precise mechanisms underlying doxazosin’s anticancer effects in TNBC have not been fully elucidated.

    Abstract 4037: Doxazosin exerts anti-metastatic potential in triple-negative breast cancer via impairment of cancer stem-like features · 2023 · DOI

  • However, its causal relationship with immunotherapeutic efficacy remains unclear, which promoted us to explore if and how probiotic Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Probio-M9 manipulates gut microbiome for expected outcomes.

    Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Probio-M9 enhanced the antitumor response to anti-PD-1 therapy by modulating intestinal metabolites · 2023 · DOI

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47 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 152 Cancer Research and Treatments papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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