Oral bacteria treat head and neck cancer: Research

Scientists have discovered that certain types of bacteria in a common type cancer has been found to have the ability to ‘melt’

The researchers say they were surprised to find that Fusobacterium, which is commonly found in the mouth, has the ability to kill certain types of cancer.

New research According to the study, people who had these bacteria found in head and neck cancer also had ‘greater results’ in their recovery.

After the initial discovery, researchers from Guy’s and St Thomas’ and King’s College, London are studying in depth the biological mechanisms behind the link between these bacteria and cancer recovery.

A new study by an international team of researchers used different methods to study this relationship.

The scientists used modeling to identify which bacteria could be studied further.

He later studied the bacteria’s effects on cancer cells in the laboratory and analyzed data from 155 head and neck cancer patients whose tumors were submitted to the Cancer Genome Atlas database. had gone

Experts initially expected completely different results because previous research had strongly linked Fusobacterium to colon cancer.

In a laboratory study, researchers placed bacteria in special containers and left them for a few days.

When they returned to examine the effects of the bacteria on the cancer, they found that the cancer had almost disappeared.

They found that the number of head and neck cancer cells decreased by 70 to 99 percent after exposure to Fusobacterium.

An analysis of patient data found that those whose cancers contained fusobacteria had a better chance of survival than those whose cancers did not.

The presence of Fusobacterium in head and neck cancers was associated with a 65% reduced risk of death compared to patients whose cancers did not contain the bacteria.

The researchers hope that the discovery could help treat patients with head and neck cancers, including cancers of the mouth, throat, sound box, nose and respiratory tract.

Experts say that little medical progress has been made in the treatment of head and neck cancer in the past 20 years, so it is hoped that this discovery could potentially lead to new treatments in the future.

Dr. Miguel Reyes Ferreira, senior author of the study, told the PA news agency, “In short, we saw that when you find these bacteria present in head and neck cancer, it has a much better outcome.” The second thing we found is that these bacteria had the ability to kill cancer.

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‘What we found is that a small bacterium is leading to better outcomes based on causing a change within the cancer. So we are currently exploring this mechanism and it should be the subject of a new paper very soon in the future.’

Dr Reese Ferreira, consultant in head and neck cancer at Guy’s and St Thomas’ and senior clinical lecturer at King’s College London, added: ‘This study shows that these bacteria have a role in cancer compared to the previously known role. I play a much more complex role.

‘They essentially destroy head and neck cancer cells. However, we must also bear in mind that these bacteria are known to exacerbate certain types of cancer, for example colon cancer.’

The scientists have published a paper on the discovery in the journal Cancer Communications, describing how Fusobacteria are ‘toxic’ to head and neck cancer and how their presence ‘improves disease eradication’. can determine.’

“The presence of Fusobacterium is associated with both better overall survival and better survival in the event of disease,” the researchers said.

Barbara Kisumu, executive director of the Guy’s Cancer Charity, which funded the research, said: ‘We are proud to support the great research being carried out by Miguel and Anjali into head and neck cancer. I want to expand our understanding and find more simple and effective treatments.’