Overview

• The meta-analysis of 10 trials involving 164 patients reported a pooled objective response rate of 43%, with 12% complete responses and 34% partial responses when fecal microbiota transplants were paired with ICIs.
• Grade 3–4 adverse events occurred in 37% of patients, indicating notable safety risks alongside therapeutic benefits.
• Subgroup analysis revealed a 60% response rate for combined anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 therapies versus 37% for anti-PD-1 monotherapy.
• Researchers observed that the same bacterial species produced opposite effects in different patients, highlighting complex host–microbiome interactions.
• Investigators emphasize urgent need for personalized donor selection, harmonized transplant protocols and larger, standardized clinical trials to validate FMT’s role in cancer therapy.