New study suggests gum disease could increase gallbladder cancer risk
A new study has suggested that gum disease could increase the risk of gallbladder cancer in post-menopausal women.
Researchers at the University of Buffalo discovered that women who have a history of gum disease also have an elevated risk of some forms of cancer, including gallbladder and oesophageal cancer. The team analysed data from more than 65,000 women from the USA in what is the first study of its kind. The study focused on post-menopausal women.
Senior author, Jean Wactawski-Wende, explained that this is the first study to concentrate on older women and the first US study to consider a link between gum disease and cancer in women.
Jean explained that the study was comprehensive enough to evaluate the link between periodontal disease and specific forms of cancer, as well as determining the general relationship between gum disease and cancer.
The average age of the study participants was 68 and most were of white, non-Hispanic origin. The aim of the study was to establish factors that affect disease rates in older women in the USA. As part of the project, the women were asked if they had ever been told they had gum disease.
The study findings revealed that women who had a history of gum disease had a 14% higher risk of cancer. In the majority of cases, this related to breast cancer, which affected 2,416 of the 65,869 participants. What was interesting was the prevalence of some forms of cancer in those who had a history of gum disease. The highest risk was found in cases of oesophageal cancer and gallbladder cancer. This is the first study to link periodontal disease to an increased risk of gallbladder cancer.
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