What is it about?
Bortezomib is an important treatment for multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. Unfortunately, it can also cause painful side effects. Many people develop pain, tingling or numbness in their hands and feet, as well as gut problems such as diarrhoea or constipation. We investigated how bacteria living in the gut contribute to these side effects and found that mice without gut bacteria were largely protected.
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Why is it important?
People with multiple myeloma require lifelong treatment to control their cancer, but nerve and gut side effects can make this difficult. With few effective treatments for these side effects, reducing or stopping cancer treatment is often the only option. Our findings suggest gut bacteria could help us predict, prevent or manage these side effects.
Perspectives
This study tackled a complex problem that could only be addressed by bringing together expertise from different fields. Four Adelaide University/SAHMRI research groups - Supportive Oncology Research Group, the Myeloma Research Laboratory, Systems Immunology Group and Visceral Pain Group - worked together to develop a model that closely reflects the patient experience, and then adapt it to study the role of gut bacteria. This unique combination of expertise was critical to the study’s success.
Hannah Wardill
University of Adelaide
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Bortezomib-induced gastrointestinal dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy and neuroimmune signalling are influenced by the gut microbiota in mice, Journal of Neuroinflammation, June 2026, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1186/s12974-026-03909-w.
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