Beyond estrobolome 1.0: unraveling endocrine-microbiome axis as a driver and therapeutic target in hormone-driven cancersDownload PDF Download PDF ReviewOpen accessPublished: 24 June 2026Exian Mou1 na1,Rui Guo1 na1,Yong Yi2 na1,Yang Li3,Yutang Yao4 &…Jia Xu1 npj Biofilms and Microbiomes (2026) Cite this article We are providing an unedited version of this manuscript to give early access to its findings. Before final publication, the manuscript will undergo further editing. Please note there may be errors present which affect the content, and all legal disclaimers apply.SubjectsBiochemistryCancerMicrobiologyMolecular biologyAbstractThe endocrine-microbiome axis extends the estrobolome concept, recognizing gut microbes as active endocrine partners. Bacteria modulate estrogen recycling via diverse enzymes and produce SERM-like metabolites, while host hormones shape microbial communities. This bidirectional crosstalk influences hormone-driven carcinogenesis through inflammation, genomic instability, and epigenetic changes. Therapeutic opportunities include precision probiotics and selective enzymatic inhibition. Advancing the field requires causal models, multi-omics integration, and sex as a biological variable.AcknowledgementsThis work received no specific funding. The authors thank their institutions for support.Author informationAuthor notesThese authors contributed equally: Exian Mou, Rui Guo, Yong Yi.Authors and AffiliationsDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital and Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaExian Mou, Rui Guo & Jia XuDepartment of Outpatient, Sichuan Cancer Hospital and Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaYong YiDivision of Medical Affairs, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital and Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaYang LiDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, Sichuan Cancer Hospital and Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaYutang YaoAuthorsExian MouView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarRui GuoView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarYong YiView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarYang LiView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarYutang YaoView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarJia XuView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarCorresponding authorsCorrespondence to Yang Li, Yutang Yao or Jia Xu.Ethics declarationsCompeting interestsThe authors declare no competing interests.Generative AI StatementThe authors used generative-AI/language-assistance tools (InstaText, Wordvice, and DeepL) only for structural editing and language polishing. These tools were not used to generate scientific content, interpret results, or create citations. All factual claims, data statements, and references cited in this manuscript were checked and verified manually by the authors against the original source papers prior to submission; no citations were fabricated or created by AI. The authors accept full responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of the content.Additional informationPublisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.Rights and permissionsOpen Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, which permits any non-commercial use, sharing, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if you modified the licensed material. You do not have permission under this licence to share adapted material derived from this article or parts of it. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.Reprints and permissionsAbout this article