Giving the potential contribute in cancer initiation and progression, lung microbiota represents a promising topic in cancer research, although still unexplored. We performed a systematic literature search to identify clinical studies evaluating lung microbiota composition, its correlation with lung cancer patients’ clinico-pathological features and prognosis. Of the identified 370 studies, 21 were eligible and included. Although studies were heterogeneous, lung cancer resulted to be enriched in peculiar microbial communities, with differences in composition and diversity according to clinico-pathological parameters. Few studies explored how lung microbiota influences cancer outcome. In light of these findings and borrowing the suggestions coming from gut microbiota, we speculate that respiratory microbiome may influence pathogenesis, progression and outcome of lung cancer. Taking advantage of the experience of chronical lung diseases, prospective studies should be designed to evaluate lung microbiota changes throughout any phase of lung cancer course, particularly with the advent of immunotherapy as pivotal treatment.

肺微生物群在癌症的发生和发展中具有潜在的作用，尽管仍未得到探索，但它代表了癌症研究中一个有前途的课题。我们进行了系统的文献检索，以确定评估肺微生物群组成、其与肺癌患者临床病理特征和预后的相关性的临床研究。在确定的 370 项研究中，21 项符合条件并被纳入。尽管研究具有异质性，但肺癌富含特殊的微生物群落，根据临床病理参数的不同，其组成和多样性存在差异。很少有研究探讨肺微生物群如何影响癌症结果。根据这些发现并借鉴来自肠道微生物群的建议，我们推测呼吸道微生物群可能影响发病机制，肺癌的进展和结果。利用慢性肺病的经验，应设计前瞻性研究来评估肺癌病程任何阶段的肺微生物群变化，特别是随着免疫疗法作为关键治疗的出现。