Table 3.

Probiotics administration for the management of CRC patients

# of patients	Intervention	Duration	Outcome	Refs.
27	6 viable microorganisms of Lactobacillus and bifidobacteria	Twice daily 107 mg (orally) probiotics for 6 months	Reduced the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IL-17A, IL-17C and IL-22	[112]
57	2 mg Enterococcus faecalis T110, 10 mg Clostridium butyricum TO-A, and 10 mg Bacillus mesentericus TO-A	Daily (six tablets/day) for 15 days	Reduced the incidence of post-operative complications, including superficial incisional infections, time of meal intake, and time of flatus	[113]
8	1.4 × 1010 CFUs Bifidobacterium lactis Bl-04, 7 × 109 CFUs Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, and 0.63 g inulin	Daily (two tablets/day) 8–78 days	- Increased bacterial diversity - Increased the abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria, including Faecalibacterium and Clostridiales spp - Reduced CRC-associated genera, including Fusobacterium and Peptostreptococcus	[114]
84	Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 (1.75 × 109 cfu), Lactobacillus plantarum (0.5 × 109 cfu), Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12 (1.75 × 109 cfu), and Saccharomyces boulardii (1.5 × 109 cfu)	One day before operation and continuing for another 15 days post-operatively	- Decreased the rate of all postoperative major complications, including pneumonia, anastomotic leakage, and surgical site infections - Shortened the time until hospital discharge	[115]
98	Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG supplementation (twice daily at a dose of 1–2 × 1010) and fiber (11 g guar gum per day) during chemotherapy	For 24 weeks	Reduced the frequency of diarrhea and abdominal discomfort	[116]
70	6 viable microorganisms of Lactobacillus and bifidobacteria plus omega-3 fatty acid at a dose of 2 g	- Probiotics for 4 weeks - Omega-3 fatty acid for 8 weeks	- Improved the overall quality of life - Alleviated certain side effects of chemotherapy - Reduced inflammatory biomarkers, including IL-6	[117]
28	2 × 109 cfu Lactobacillus rhamnosus R0011 and Lactobacillus acidophilus R0052	For 12 weeks	- Decreased irritable bowel symptoms - Improved cancer-related quality of life	[118]