Study Suggests Link between Oral Bacteria and Bowel Cancer
A study has further emphasised the importance of good oral hygiene after suggesting a link between oral bacteria and bowel cancer.
Researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute in the USA found an abnormally high amount of bacteria normally associated with gum disease in nine individual colorectal tumour samples, suggesting that there may be a link between the two diseases.
Bowel cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in the UK and every year, 35,000 new cases are diagnosed and only 50 percent of people survive.
Lead author of the study, Matthew Meyerson, who is co-director of the Center for Cancer Genome Discovery at the Dana-Farber Institute and a professor of pathology at Harvard University, said that further research in this area is required, but initial studies show that the presence of fusobacterium, which is usually linked to gum disease, in tumours in the bowel, indicates that there may be a link between the two diseases.
Chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter, said that the study highlights the importance of good oral health. Numerous studies have now indicated that good oral health is extremely important for good general health, with researchers linking poor oral health to an increased risk of diabetes, strokes and heart disease.
Dr Carter said that it was essential for people to adopt a good oral hygiene routine and visit their dentist on a regular basis for check-ups.
Join this Discussion
