Abstract
Intratumoral microbiota, a critical component of the tumor microenvironment, notably impacts tumor progression through various complex mechanisms such as metabolic regulation, immune system remodeling and genotoxicity. The present review focuses on eight prevalent solid tumors (breast, colorectal, lung, pancreatic, gastric, ovarian, prostate cancers and melanoma), detailing the intratumoral microbial compositional heterogeneity within these malignancies. The present review analyzes the heterogeneous carcinogenic mechanisms mediated by these microorganisms, including gene instability, immune microenvironment remodeling and metabolic intervention. The diagnostic value of microbial markers in liquid biopsy and in situ tissue detection is explored, and the potential for synergistic strategies combining microbial-targeted therapy and immunotherapy is discussed. Finally, the review suggests future research directions, such as spatiotemporal dynamic analysis and organoid-microorganism co-culture, offering new insights for precise cancer treatment.