S. No Study Population Sample size Technique Results
1.
Van Vliet et al27
Pediatric, AML
9
PCR
Decrease in Shannon index even prior to initiation of chemotherapy Decrease in all genus with chemotherapy (Clostridium, Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium) Increase in Enterococcus Partial recovery during subsequent cycle of chemotherapy
2.
Huang et al37
Pediatric, ALL
36 patients 36 controls
PCR
Lower total bacterial counts, lower Bifidobacteria, Lactobacilli and E. coli than healthy controls prior to chemotherapy Further fall in bacterial counts, Bifidobacteria, Lactobacilli and E. coli after high dose methotrexate
3
Stringer et al28
Adults
16 patients
PCR
Decrease in Bacteroides, Lactobacilli and Bifidobacterium Increase in E. coli and Staphylococci
4.
Rajagopala et al36
Children and young adults
28 patients 23 healthy controls
PCR
Lower Shannon index in patients Lower Lachnospaerae, higher Bacteroides than healthy controls No change in Shannon index post chemotherapy, but increased subsequently
5.
Montassier et al24
Adults with NHL for HSCT
8 patients
PCR
Decrease in Shannon index after starting chemotherapy Increase in Bacteroides, decrease in Fermecutes and Bifidobacterium
6
Zwielehner et al25
Adults
17 patients
PCR
Decrease in total bacterial count and diversity after starting chemotherapy Increase in Bacteroides and Clostridium cluster IV Decrease in Bifidobacterium and Clostridium cluster IVa
7
Bamole VD et al38
Adult, Ca colon
8 patients, 16 controls
Culture and PCR
Higher Bacteroides: Firmicutes ratio in patients Lactobacillus not grown in any patient, 57% in controls Dietary variation observed
8
Chua LL et al26
Pediatric; ALL
7 patients
PCR
Decrease in alpha diversity even prior to initiation of chemotherapy Relative decrease in firmicutes and abundance of Bacteroides prior to therapy The difference diminished after completion of therapy, but didn’t normalise
9
Index study
Pediatric
-NEC: 38 -Non-NEC: 21 -Healthy controls: 30
Culture methods
Increase in Bacteroides and decrease in Lactobacilli in NEC group Trend towards higher isolation of Clostridium in NEC group