Link Between Oral Bacteria and Potential Increase in Pancreatic Cancer Risk
In a pioneering study led by NYU Langone Health and its Perlmutter Cancer Center, researchers have uncovered a potential connection between the diverse community of bacteria and fungi in the mouth, known as the oral microbiome, and the likelihood of developing pancreatic cancer.
The study, the most comprehensive and detailed analysis of its kind to date, involved 445 individuals who developed pancreatic cancer and 445 cancer-free participants for comparison. The research, published by Dr. Christoph Daldrop and his team, suggests that certain species of oral bacteria and fungi, particularly Candida, may contribute to pancreatic cancer development.
The study revealed a 3.5 times greater risk of developing pancreatic cancer for twenty-seven species of bacteria and fungi found in people's mouths. This includes three types of bacteria already known to contribute to periodontal disease.
The researchers identified 24 species of bacteria and fungi that individually either increased or decreased pancreatic cancer risk. Moreover, they pinpointed a combination of bacteria and fungi as a significant risk factor for pancreatic cancer development.
The study also presented a tool that could estimate participants' cancer risk based on the composition of their oral microbiome. This could potentially aid in early detection and prevention efforts.
The team plans to explore further whether oral viruses could contribute to cancer and how the mouth's microbiome may influence patients' chances of survival. The study's authors concluded that the oral microbiota holds promise as a biomarker to identify individuals at high risk of pancreatic cancer.
Despite these findings, it's crucial to note that the study did not establish a direct cause-and-effect link between certain microbes in the mouth and pancreatic cancer, requiring further investigation.
Pancreatic cancer has a five-year survival rate of 13%, and known risk factors explain less than 30% of all pancreatic cancer cases. The study's findings suggest that oral health interventions may help prevent pancreatic cancer, and the oral microbiome, increasingly being studied for its potential role in human health, could be a key area of focus.
The study was a prospective study analyzing the genetic makeup of microbes collected from the saliva of 122,000 healthy individuals. As the research progresses, we may learn more about the intricate relationship between the oral microbiome and pancreatic cancer, potentially leading to new prevention and early detection strategies.
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