Fig. 4
Effect of chemotherapy on microbiome composition: Phyla relative abundance. The relative abundance of the four most abundant bacterial phyla (Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria) representing 97% of bacteria in the samples, were analysed. Pre-chemotherapy faecal microbiome composition (Pre-chemo) was compared to 7–12 days post-chemotherapy faecal microbiome composition (Post-1) and to faecal microbiome composition at the end of a chemotherapy cycle (median 21 days post-chemotherapy, Post-2) in 19 participants. Box and whiskers depict median ± interquartile range with bars representing minimum and maximum values. All significant comparisons are indicated by stars (* = p < 0.05; ** = p < 0.01; *** = p < 0.001; Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test)