Bacteria called Porphyromomas gingivalis, which are involved in gum disease, have been linked to an increased risk of oesophageal cancer, according to researchers at the Louisiana School of Dentistry.
The researchers found the bacterium in the cancerous tissue of 61 per cent of patients with Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma or ESCC patients but it was indetectable in the oesophagus of a healthy patient.
Dr. Huizhi Wang, an assistant professor at the school said that “eradication of this bacterium could contribute to a significant reduction in cancer cases”. It may even be used as part of treatment programmes.
Source: Infectious Agents and Cancer.
A larger study by NYU Langone on Esophageal Adenocarcinoma (EAC) found the same bacterium plus others involved in the cancer.
Go to: Oesophageal cancer - symptoms, causes and treatment alternatives