Open Access

Fungi and tumors: The role of fungi in tumorigenesis (Review)

  • Authors:
    • Wenyue Cheng
    • Fan Li
    • Yunhuan Gao
    • Rongcun Yang
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: March 27, 2024     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2024.5640
  • Article Number: 52
  • Copyright: © Cheng et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Fungi inhabit different anatomic sites in the human body. Advances in omics analyses of host‑microbiome interactions have tremendously improved our understanding of the effects of fungi on human health and diseases such as tumors. Due to the significant enrichment of specific fungi in patients with malignant tumors, the associations between fungi and human cancer have attracted an increasing attention in recent years. Indeed, cancer type‑specific fungal profiles have been found in different tumor tissues. Importantly, fungi also influence tumorigenesis through multiple factors, such as host immunity and bioactive metabolites. Microbiome interactions, host factors and fungal genetic and epigenetic factors could be involved in fungal enrichment in tumor tissues and/or in the conversion from a commensal fungus to a pathogenic fungus. Exploration of the interactions of fungi with the bacterial microbiome and the host may enable them to be a target for cancer diagnosis and treatment. In the present review, the associations between fungi and human cancer, cancer type‑specific fungal profiles and the mechanisms by which fungi cause tumorigenesis were discussed. In addition, possible factors that can lead to the enrichment of fungi in tumor tissues and/or the conversion of commensal fungi to pathogenic fungi, as well as potential therapeutic and preventive strategies for tumors based on intratumoral fungi were summarized.
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May-2024
Volume 64 Issue 5

Print ISSN: 1019-6439
Online ISSN:1791-2423

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Copy and paste a formatted citation
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Spandidos Publications style
Cheng W, Li F, Gao Y and Yang R: Fungi and tumors: The role of fungi in tumorigenesis (Review). Int J Oncol 64: 52, 2024.
APA
Cheng, W., Li, F., Gao, Y., & Yang, R. (2024). Fungi and tumors: The role of fungi in tumorigenesis (Review). International Journal of Oncology, 64, 52. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2024.5640
MLA
Cheng, W., Li, F., Gao, Y., Yang, R."Fungi and tumors: The role of fungi in tumorigenesis (Review)". International Journal of Oncology 64.5 (2024): 52.
Chicago
Cheng, W., Li, F., Gao, Y., Yang, R."Fungi and tumors: The role of fungi in tumorigenesis (Review)". International Journal of Oncology 64, no. 5 (2024): 52. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2024.5640