New Research Identifies Hidden Risk in Mouth
A new research study from NYU Langone Health has determined that germs in the mouth may substantially increase the risk of pancreatic cancer, a notoriously aggressive cancer. Researchers analyzed health records and mouth rinses from over 300,000 adults ages 50-70 and found a strong association between some bacteria and fungi with the development of future pancreatic cancer.
Microbes Associated with Higher Risk
While many bacteria were noted to increase and decrease the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, specific species such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, Eubacterium nodatum, and Parvimonas micra were associated with greater than 250% higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer, and the fungus Candida tropicalis followed a similar pattern. In total, across the 13 species of bacteria that exhibited increased risk, and eight species of bacteria that exhibited lower risk, the data suggests that the combination of germs and microbes in the mouth may encourage and/or protect against cancer itself.
Implications of Study Findings
With a five-year survival rate of just 13 percent, pancreatic cancer is considered the worst of the four most common cancers and is largely diagnosed at a late stage. These findings suggest the microbes in saliva and the mouth may be a reflection of the systemic microbiome.
