Microbial Biofilms and Cancer - Part A

This book provides a comprehensive and multidisciplinary exploration of the emerging biological connection between microbial biofilms, chronic infection, genetic instability, and cancer development and progression. Moving beyond the traditional perception of biofilms as merely microbial communities associated with antimicrobial resistance, the book examines biofilms as dynamic biological ecosystems capable of influencing host signaling, immune responses, genome stability, epigenetic regulation, cellular metabolism, and oncogenic processes. The opening chapters establish the molecular and genetic foundations of biofilm-associated carcinogenesis. The role of horizontal gene transfer within biofilms and its potential oncogenic consequences is examined alongside genetic profiling of biofilm-associated cancers. Particular emphasis is placed on the signaling pathways that may be hijacked by biofilms and the epigenetic mechanisms governing biofilm biology and host–microbe interactions. The book further explores how biofilms can modulate antitumor immunity and contribute to cancer progression, while genetic instability and biofilm-driven mutations are considered as potential mechanisms linking persistent microbial colonization with malignant transformation. A further dimension of the book focuses on the therapeutic and translational potential of biofilm biology. Bacterial metabolites are examined as emerging sources of anticancer molecules and as potential tools for developing innovative cancer chemotherapeutics. At the same time, the book critically addresses the dual nature of biofilms, considering their potential applications alongside associated biological risks, environmental consequences, biosafety concerns, and legal challenges. The latter part of the book introduces an emerging AI- and nanotechnology-enabled paradigm for infection–cancer surveillance and diagnostics. Advanced nanostructured biosensors, AI-assisted multiplexed platforms, metaheuristic optimization, and integrated surveillance technologies are presented as approaches for simultaneous detection and monitoring of infectious and cancer-associated biomarkers. The application of AI to wastewater surveillance further expands the discussion toward a One Health framework, connecting environmental pathogen monitoring with potential cancer-risk assessment. The final contribution integrates genomics, metagenomics, and artificial intelligence to investigate infection-associated genomic signatures in Bacteroides fragilis, demonstrating how multi-omics and computational approaches can facilitate biomarker discovery and improve understanding of infection–cancer relationships. Collectively, the book brings together microbiology, molecular oncology, genomics, epigenetics, immunology, metabolomics, nanotechnology, biosensing, artificial intelligence, environmental surveillance, and One Health. It provides an integrated perspective on the emerging biofilm–infection–cancer axis, highlighting both fundamental mechanisms and opportunities for diagnosis, prevention and therapeutic intervention. The book is intended for researchers, academicians, clinicians, biotechnologists, microbiologists, cancer biologists, bioinformaticians, nanotechnologists, environmental scientists, and advanced postgraduate students interested in the rapidly evolving interface between microbial biology and cancer.