Bacteria in the mouth can cause colon cancer
American scientists said on August 14 that they had discovered how a common bacteria in the mouth can cause a series of changes that lead to colon cancer.
According to the journal Cell Host & Microbe, two studies have the same conclusion that fusobacteria found in the mouth can stimulate bad immune responses and stimulate cancer-promoting genes that create colon tumors.
Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Recent studies have shown that oral fusobacteria are abundant in the tissues of colon cancer patients. However, it is unclear whether they directly contribute to tumors.
In the first study, Professor Yiping Han of Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and his colleagues discovered that fusobacteria rely on a molecule called FadA found on the surface of these bacterial cells to attach to and invade colon cancer cells.
FadA then activates cancer-promoting genes and stimulates inflammatory responses, promoting tumor formation.
Professor Han's team also found FadA levels 10 to 100 times higher than normal in precancerous colon polyps and malignant tumors. They also found an amino acid sequence that can block the effects of FadA on cancer cells.
Professor Han said the scientists showed that FadA is a "marker" that can be used for early diagnosis of colon cancer and is a potential therapeutic target to treat and prevent this common disease.
In a second study, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute found that fusobacteria are commonly found in human benign tumors, or tumors that are benign but can turn malignant over time. They suggest that these bacteria contribute to the early stages of tumor formation.
In a mouse colon cancer trial, the bacteria accelerated tumor formation by attracting immune cells called myeloid cells to invade the tumor, while also stimulating inflammatory responses that can cause cancer.
Professor Han emphasized that the above findings not only lead to more effective strategies for early detection, prevention and treatment of colon cancer but also show the importance of oral care./.
According to (TTXVN) - VT
