Common mouth bacteria found to ‘melt’ head and neck cancers in ‘surprising’ discovery

[Pelican Press 0]

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Common mouth bacteria found to ‘melt’ head and neck cancers in ‘surprising’ discovery

A common type of bacteria has been found to make certain cancers “melt”, scientists have discovered.

Researchers said that they were “brutally surprised” to find that Fusobacterium –

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found in the mouth – appears to have the ability to ***** certain cancers.

People whose head and

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were found to have this bacteria within their ******* have also been found to have “much better outcomes”, according to a new study.

The exact biological mechanisms behind the link are being keenly studied by researchers at Guy’s and St Thomas’ and King’s College London, after they made the initial finding.

Their new study, conducted in collaboration with an international team of researchers, used a number of different methods to study the link.

Scientists used modelling to help identify which bacteria may be of interest to further investigate.

Then they studied the effect of the bacteria on cancerous cells in a laboratory and also performed an analysis on data on 155 patients with head and neck ******* whose tumour information had been submitted to the ******* Genome Atlas database.

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Scientists have published a paper on the finding in the journal ******* Communications (Getty)

Academics initially expected a completely different outcome as previous research has linked Fusobacterium to

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In the laboratory studies, researchers put quantities of the bacteria in Petri dishes and left them for a couple of days. When they returned to inspect the effect of the bacteria on the *******, they found that the ******* almost disappeared.

They found that there was a 70 to 99 per cent reduction in the number of viable ******* cells in head and neck ******* cells after being infected with Fusobacterium.

And analysis of the patient data found that those with Fusobacterium bacteria within their ******* had better survival odds compared with those who did not – Fusobacterium detectability in head and neck cancers was associated with a 65 per cent reduction in risk of ****** compared with patients whose cancers did not contain the bacteria.

Researchers hope the finding could help guide treatment for patients with head and neck ******* – which include cancers of the mouth, throat, voice box, nose and sinuses.

Experts said that there have been few therapeutic advances in head and neck ******* in the last 20 years so it is hoped the finding could potentially lead to new treatments in the future.

“In essence, we found that when you find these bacteria within head and neck cancers, they have much better outcomes. The other thing that we found is that, in cell cultures, this bacterium is capable of ******** *******,” senior study author Dr Miguel Reis Ferreira told the PA news agency.

“What we’re finding is that this little bug is causing a better outcome based on something that it’s doing inside the *******. So we are looking for that mechanism at present, and it should be the theme for a new paper in the very short-term future.”

Dr Reis Ferreira, a consultant in head and neck cancers at Guy’s and St Thomas’ and senior clinical lecturer at King’s College London, added: “This research reveals that these bacteria play a more complex role than previously known in their relationship with ******* – that they essentially melt head and neck ******* cells. However, this finding should be balanced by their known role in making cancers, such as those in the bowel, get worse.”

Scientists have published a paper on the finding in the journal ******* Communications, which describes how Fusobacterium is “toxic” for head and neck ******* and how its presence “may determine a better prognosis”.

“Fusobacterium detectability was associated with both better overall survival and better ********-specific survival,” the authors wrote.

Barbara Kasumu, executive director of Guy’s ******* Charity, which helped fund the study, said: “We are proud to support the ground-breaking research conducted by Miguel and Anjali, which aims to enhance our understanding of head and neck ******* and develop more compassionate and effective treatments.”

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#Common #mouth #bacteria #melt #neck #cancers #surprising #discovery

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