International immunopharmacologyAug 23, 2026

Gut bacteria linked to chemotherapy-related tiredness and may be improved by transplanting healthy bacteria in female mice

Gut-Brain Axis Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Aug 24, 2026

Abstract

Chemotherapy may alter gut microbiome composition, which is associated with fatigue in patients.

Fatigue is a common side effect of chemotherapy that can affect treatment adherence and survival.
Changes in the gut microbiome may contribute to chemotherapy-induced fatigue.
Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) could be a modifiable intervention to address these changes.
Studying rodent models of chemotherapy may help understand the relationship between gut health and fatigue.

Simplified

Fatigue is a common and debilitating side effect of chemotherapy, negatively affecting treatment adherence and survival. Chemotherapy alters gut microbiome composition, and accumulating evidence suggests that gut microbes contribute to chemotherapy-induced fatigue. Because the gut microbiome is modifiable through targeted interventions, such as fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), microbiome modulation has emerged as a potential strategy to mitigate treatment-related toxicities. To understand the impact of FMT interventions across the gut-brain axis, studying rodent chemotherapy models that simultaneously capture behavioral side effects and gastrointestinal pathology is warranted.

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Gut bacteria linked to chemotherapy-related tiredness and may be improved by transplanting healthy bacteria in female mice

Abstract

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