Methods of diagnosing and treating cancer by detecting and manipulating microbes in tumors

A method of treating cancer, the method comprising administering a therapeutically effective dose of a probiotic organism or its functional components to a subject suffering from cancer.

A method of treating breast cancer in a subject, the method comprising:

• amplifying a bacterial DNA sample in a test sample obtained from the subject to determine an amount of bacterial DNA in the test sample, wherein the amount of bacterial DNA is determined by an amplification or sequencing technique;
• and
• administering a probiotic organism to the subject when there is a significantly decreased level of bacterial DNA in the test sample when compared to a level of bacterial DNA in a control sample.

A method of stimulating an increased immune response in a diseased tissue by administering a therapeutically effective dose of a probiotic organism to a subject containing the diseased tissue.

A method of determining that a subject has breast cancer or is at increased risk of developing breast cancer, the method comprising:

• determining a microbial fingerprint in a test sample obtained from the subject, wherein the microbial fingerprint comprises one or more test levels of microbial DNA from one or more microbial species or one or more microbial genera;
• determining that the subject is likely to have breast cancer when the one or more test levels of the microbial fingerprint are significantly different from that of a control sample or standard.