Common oral bacteria that cause plaque can kill cancer by 99%: study | Health News

Scientists have discovered that Fusobacterium can kill up to 99% of some types of cancer. It was found that people with head and neck cancer who also had this tumor were more likely to have better outcomes, according to the study. In the mouth, this bacteria is associated with plaque and gum disease.

There’s a certain type of bacteria in the mouth that can melt cancer, but it’s also been linked to plaque and gum disease. (Photo: Luis Alvarez/DigitalVision/Getty Images)

New Delhi: World Head and Neck Cancer Day is an event organized to create awareness about this group of diseases, its causes, symptoms, treatment options and more. But when it comes to this, there are several aspects of the disease that are still unexplored, one of which is bacteria that can worsen or suppress the cancer. But according to experts, there is a certain type of bacteria in the mouth that can melt cancer, but it is also associated with plaque and gum disease.

What influence do bacteria have on cancer risk?

Scientists have discovered that Fusobacterium can kill up to 99% of some types of cancer. People with head and neck cancer who also had the tumour were more likely to have better outcomes, the study found. In the mouth, this bacteria is associated with plaque and gum disease. The link is being investigated by experts from Guy’s and St Thomas’ and King’s College London after they made the discovery.

In the new study, conducted with an international team of researchers, the effect of this bacterium on cancer cells was evaluated in a laboratory. Researchers performed the analysis on tumor data from 155 people with head and neck cancer. In the laboratories, the bacteria were left in petri dishes for days. When these were re-examined for effects on cancer, it turned out that the cancer had disappeared. 70-99% of them had a better chance of survival than those who were not. The bacterium can, in the case of head and neck cancers, reduce the risk of death by 65%. It can also limit the growth of colon cancers.

What are the symptoms of head and neck cancer?

The symptoms of head and neck cancer are:

1. A sore throat
2. White, red spots in the oral cavity
3. Ulcers that do not heal
4. Unusual pain or bleeding in the gums or swelling in the jaw
5. Difficulty breathing
6. Hoarse voice
7. Pain when swallowing
8. Lump on the neck or on the face or nose
9. Loose teeth
10. Weight loss
11. Blocked sinus that won’t clear
12. Nosebleeds