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Effects of the enteral administration of Bifidobacterium breve on patients undergoing chemotherapy for pediatric malignancies

Supportive Care in Cancer volume 18, pages 751–759 (2010)Cite this article

An Erratum to this article was published on 26 June 2010

Abstract

Purpose

Probiotics are expected to be effective in prophylaxis of infection in cancer patient, since infections in neutropenics are mainly caused by endogenous flora through the intestinal mucosa. However, the experience with the use of probiotics in immunocompromised patients is limited, and precise fecal bacteria analysis has not been reported. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of the enteral administration of the probiotic, Bifidobacterium breve strain Yakult, on its ability to prevent infection, fecal micro flora, and intestinal environments in cancer patients on chemotherapy.

Methods

A placebo-controlled trial was performed at Juntendo University Hospital. Patients with malignancies admitted for chemotherapy (n = 42) were randomized into two groups receiving probiotic or placebo. The effects on infectious complications, natural killer cells, fecal micro flora, fecal organic acid concentrations, and fecal pH were studied.

Results

The frequency of fever and the use of intravenous antibiotics were lower in the probiotic group than the placebo group. The probiotic administration enhanced the habitation of anaerobes. Disruption of the intestinal microbiota after chemotherapy such as the increase in the population levels of Enterobacteriaceae was observed at more pronounced manner in the placebo group in comparison to the probiotic group. The concentrations of total organic acids were maintained most of the time at the normal level, which constantly maintained the pH below 7.0 only in the probiotic group.

Conclusion

These data, although based on a limited number of patients and samples, suggest that administration of B. breve strain Yakult could be an effective approach for achieving clinical benefits in immunocompromised hosts by improving their intestinal environments.

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Acknowledgments

We gratefully thank Enkhtuya Lkhagvadorj, MD, Lei Bian, Chongxin Wang, MD, Yukihide Chiba, MD, and Takahiro Kudo, MD for their excellent technical support. We are also grateful to Jyunya Fujimura, MD, Oto Takada, MD, and Sachi Sakaguchi, MD for their help in sampling valuable clinical specimens.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Laboratory for Probiotics Research, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan

    Mariko Wada, Satoru Nagata, Yuichiro Yamashiro & Koji Nomoto

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Juntendo University School of Medicine, 1-1, Hongo 2-chome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan

    Mariko Wada, Satoru Nagata, Masahiro Saito & Toshiaki Shimizu

  3. Yakult Central Institute for Microbiological Research, Tokyo, 186-8650, Japan

    Takahiro Matsuki, Takashi Asahara & Koji Nomoto

Authors
  1. Mariko Wada
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  2. Satoru Nagata
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  3. Masahiro Saito
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  4. Toshiaki Shimizu
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  7. Takashi Asahara
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Correspondence to Mariko Wada.

Additional information

An erratum to this article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00520-010-0938-2

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Wada, M., Nagata, S., Saito, M. et al. Effects of the enteral administration of Bifidobacterium breve on patients undergoing chemotherapy for pediatric malignancies. Support Care Cancer 18, 751–759 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-009-0711-6

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Keywords

  • Probiotics
  • Immunocompromised host
  • Infection prevention
  • Intestinal microflora
  • Organic acids
  • pH