When compared with other cancers, pancreatic cancer is rare.
But it is the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Only about 13% of people with pancreatic cancer survive for five years after being diagnosed.
That’s because early detection of pancreatic cancer is nearly impossible.
It usually causes no symptoms in its earliest stages. When abdominal pain, jaundice, and nausea start, it’s an indication that the cancer has already spread to nearby organs like the liver, stomach and gall bladder.
As of now, there is no reliable screening method for detecting who is at high risk for pancreatic cancer.
However, scientists have discovered a group of bacteria that may hold the key to identifying individuals at high risk and intervening to save their lives…
Oral health can predict pancreatic cancer risk
Within the last decade, the connection between periodontal disease and increased pancreatic cancer risk has emerged.
In November 2017, a team at the University of Helsinki showed that Treponema denticola, the bacterium that causes gum disease, is also responsible for the development of pancreatic cancer.
They noted that Treponema denticola and pancreatic cancer cells share an enzyme, Td-CLTP, which cancer cells use as a vehicle to gain entry into healthy cells.
Most recently, researchers discovered that more than two dozen bacteria and fungi in the mouth may be linked to pancreatic cancer.
Dr. Jiyoung Ahn of New York University looked at oral wash samples from over 120,000 people. They identified at least three bacteria that cause periodontal disease that are also linked to greater pancreatic cancer risk.
P. gingivalis, one of the most common bacteria behind gum disease, has also been detected in pancreatic cancer cells.
Here’s how they think it works:
When oral microbes migrate from the oral cavity to the pancreas, they may contribute to the reshaping of the pancreatic microbiome, creating an environment that can foster the growth of cancer.
Dr. Ahn explains that their ongoing pancreatic presence “can cause dysbiosis (an imbalance in the community of microbes living in your gut) that releases microbial toxins and metabolites, promoting pancreatic tumorigenesis by triggering an innate immune response and … affecting phagocytic potential and inflammatory processes.”
In other words, bacteria that find their way from the mouth to the pancreas cause an imbalance in the gut that triggers the growth of malignant tumors in the pancreas.
Preventing cancer starts in the mouth
“Our findings suggest that maintaining good oral hygiene – through regular brushing, flossing, and dental care – is critical,” says Dr. Ahn.
“This is a modifiable factor for pancreatic cancer prevention.”
These findings suggest that dentists can use their patients’ oral health as a means to detect pancreatic cancer early, where none currently exists.
But you don’t have to let yourself fall into that high-risk group.
It’s as simple as maintaining good oral health.
We all know the drill: brush your teeth twice a day, floss once a day and visit the dentist for a thorough cleaning every six months. Skipping any of these steps for even one day is a recipe for gum disease.
But there are other actions you can take beyond brushing that will combat the harmful oral bacteria that can cause disease:
- If you’re a smoker, quit (and definitely don’t use smokeless tobacco products).
- Keep your mouth moist by drinking plenty of water (and avoiding sugary drinks and alcohol).
- Take a dental probiotic (especially ones in a lozenge, drink, mouth rinse or chewable form).
Click here for more on pancreatic cancer, including signs, tests and early detection.
Sources:
Mouth Microbes Linked to Pancreas Cancer Risk — MedPage Today
Oral Bacterial and Fungal Microbiome and Subsequent Risk for Pancreatic Cancer — JAMA Oncology
How gum disease could lead to cancer — Medical News Today
Read full article here