The Female Reproductive Tract Microbiome—Implications for Gynecologic Cancers and Personalized Medicine

Abstract

The microbial colonization of the lower female reproductive tract has been extensively studied over the past few decades. In contrast, the upper female reproductive tract including the uterine cavity and peritoneum where the ovaries and fallopian tubes reside were traditionally assumed to be sterile under non-pathologic conditions. However, recent studies applying next-generation sequencing of the bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene have provided convincing evidence for the existence of an upper female reproductive tract microbiome. While the vaginal microbiome and its importance for reproductive health outcomes has been extensively studied, the microbiome of the upper female reproductive tract and its relevance for gynecologic cancers has been less studied and will be the focus of this article. This targeted review summarizes the pertinent literature on the female reproductive tract microbiome in gynecologic malignancies and its anticipated role in future research and clinical applications in personalized medicine.